


Universal Truths

by Polyfandom_Ginger



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, I'm just not sure who, String theory is cool and semi-relevant, The OFC will eventually end up with someone, what is real
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2018-11-21 15:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11360475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polyfandom_Ginger/pseuds/Polyfandom_Ginger
Summary: Hazel Grayson is a normal teenager, and she hates it. She wants more in life than the boring future presented to her. So when she has a continuous dream that she is a character in her favorite television show, she happily rolls with it. Until she realizes that it may not be a dream.





	1. A Continuous Dream

Chapter 1

A gunshot startled Hazel Grayson awake. She quickly calmed down once she realized the sound had simply come from The Vampire Diaries, which was playing on her laptop. Hazel had binged the show into the wee hours of the morning, which she noticed only when she glanced at the clock on the mantel above the fireplace. Once she deciphered the hands in the dim room, it was 3:14 AM. Definitely past her bedtime. 

Hazel sighed sleepily and closed out of Netflix. She shuffled to the bathroom to brush her teeth and took a moment to stare at her reflection. Her hazel eyes, which appeared brown until further inspection, stared back at her from a freckled face. Her hair was a mess of auburn curls that fell to the middle of her back. She sighed again, knowing that she should probably take better care of herself, but since it was summer, she didn’t really care.

Hazel stumbled into her bedroom and crawled into the welcoming mass of sheets and blankets on her bed. As she drifted off, she thought about her life. At fifteen years old, she felt stuck in the dreary blandness of reality. Books, movies, and television shows were her only escape from an otherwise boring existence.

~

Hazel was pulled out of the comfort of sleep by a steady beeping sound. _What is that incessant beeping?_ She thought grumpily. She opened her eyes, but instantly forgot about the noise. A hospital room greeted her senses with clean white floors and walls, cold air that smelled of latex and antiseptics, and shiny machines that were hooked up to her - including the source of the beeping, a heart monitor.

Confusion flooded Hazel’s mind. Where was she? What had happened? Why was she here? She felt fine. She sat up and searched for signs of injury, but she couldn’t find any. No cuts, no bruises, no scars that she hadn’t already had (she was a clumsy child). So why was she here?

As she began to worry, Hazel’s heartbeat sped up. A nurse noticed this, and entered the room to check on her. A hyperventilating Hazel awaited her. The nurse rushed to the bedside to calm her down.

“Wh-where am I?” Hazel stuttered out.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re okay. Calm down. Everything is going to be fine,” the nurse replied.

“Where am I?” Hazel asked again, more forcefully.

“The Mystic Falls Hospital. But I need you to calm down,” the nurse insisted, worry creeping into her voice.

 _Mystic Falls?_ Hazel thought. _No. That can’t be right. I can’t be here. It’s not real. None of this is real. It’s just a dream. It has to be._

Hazel was breathing even faster than before, if possible, and the nurse had no choice but to inject her with a sedative. Hazel fell back on the bed, and turned her head to the side. Before she went under, she saw a digital clock blinking back at her. 8:07 AM. Then the world faded to black.

~

Hazel jolted awake and bolted upright. She saw that she was back in her own bed, in her own room, and sighed with relief. It was only a dream, and Hazel was thankful for that.

Hazel wanted more in life than boring normalcy, but that didn’t mean she wanted to live in a town that would find her dead within a week. _Although, you have to admit,_ she thought, _it would be a hell of a week._

She looked at her alarm clock on her bedside table and grimaced at the red numbers: 8:07 AM. Hazel had slept for less than five hours, and that was nowhere near enough for her to function properly. She laid back down and snuggled back into her cocoon of warmth, hoping for dreamless rest.

~

This time, Hazel woke up to the sound of voices. She caught the tail end of the conversation as consciousness took hold.

“So you’re telling me that my twin sister finally woke up, and they put her back to sleep?” a decidedly angry male voice questioned.

“Jer, she was hyperventilating. She probably would have fainted anyway, and with everything her body’s been through, they didn’t want to risk her hurting herself any more,” a female voice tried to reason.

Hazel was confused. She opened her eyes, and was greeted once again by a hospital room. She rushed to sit up, but froze when she saw who had been speaking. Two people she was very familiar with turned to look at her with shocked happiness. On the left was Elena GIlbert. On the right, Jeremy.

“Oh my god, Hazel,” Elena breathed. Both Gilberts hurried to her bedside.

“Hazel,” Jeremy began carefully, “Do you remember what happened?”

Hazel honestly didn’t know, so she answered truthfully. “No.”

Elena and Jeremy shared a concerned look, before Elena explained what had happened the night of the bonfire. Elena got into a fight with Matt. Their parents came to pick them up. The car went over Wickery Bridge. Their parents didn’t make it. Hazel knew all that, but was surprised to be informed that she had been in a coma, and that she was a Gilbert sibling. She thought back to when she woke up, and remembered Jeremy saying “my twin”. Now it made sense.

Hazel was surprised with her brain’s ability to make all this stuff up. This was probably the most consistent and realistic dream she had ever had (which wasn’t saying much, but still). Hazel decided to test the limits. How thought out was this dreamland?

“How long has it been?” Hazel asked.

“Three and a half months,” Elena answered. She was blinking back tears.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m awake now,” Hazel tried to console the older girl. Only she was aware of the irony of her words. 

Elena smiled at her. Hazel decided that what they needed was a group hug. She held out both of her arms and gestured for Elena and Jeremy to bring it in. They did, and the three stayed like that for a little while. Eventually, they pulled away, and Elena stepped out of the room to call Jenna. A few minutes later, she entered again, declaring that Jenna was on her way to take all three of them home.

Hazel asked a few more questions, learning that school started in two weeks, Matt and Elena broke up, and Matt was still not even remotely over Elena. She, of course, already knew this, but decided to see if the dream held up with what she knew to be true in the show.

Jenna soon arrived and immediately went to hug Hazel.

“Easy, Jenna!” Hazel laughed.

“Oh! Sorry!” Jenna apologized.

“No worries. So what did Doc say?”

“Well, good news! You’ll go to physical therapy everyday for the next two weeks, so that you’ll be ready for school. Once school starts, you’ll go once a week until you’re completely functional again. And you still need to take it easy. Now, let’s get you home.”

The four went home, talking and laughing the entire ride. When they arrived, Elena helped Hazel up to her room. _I have a room!_ Hazel thought excitedly.  
“Now, the doctor said you need to rest,” Elena instructed.

“I’ve been sleeping for three and a half months. I think the last thing I need is rest,” Hazel argued, but she couldn’t argue with the yawn that fought its way out of her mouth. Elena turned off the light and wished Hazel sweet dreams before closing the door behind her.

Hazel lied in her bed and thought about how nice this dream was. It gave her a chance to be someone else, even without all the vampire stuff. Nothing magical had happened yet, but if the dream stuck around that long, Hazel knew it was just that - a dream. She could do whatever she wanted to, because she knew that, in reality, she was sleeping safe and sound. _I hope this doesn’t end_ , Hazel thought as she fell asleep.

~

Hazel woke up, in her real bed this time, and decided to get up. She ate breakfast, brushed her teeth, then picked up her latest novel - Vampire Academy - and read until 5:30. She had summer colorguard practice from 6-8 in order to be ready for band camp and the upcoming field season.

Hazel arrived on time, but barely. She put on her gloves, grabbed a rifle, and headed over to the other girls. They started with simple warm-up exercises, but quickly progressed into complicated tosses. The instructor walked them through how to do one such toss, and the girls began attempting it. One girl’s rifle slipped out of her hand, and the next few moments seemed to happen in slow motion. The heavy rifle careened through the air, its wild trajectory heading straight for - who would’ve guessed it - Hazel. She looked up and her eyes widened, but she didn’t have time to move. The rifle collided with her head, and the sickening sound of wood on skull echoed through the gym. Hazel crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

~

The smell of pizza wafted through the air. Hazel woke up, and noticed that she was back in her bed in the Gilbert house. She wasn’t exactly sure why she fell asleep, but she was happy that the dream was still going strong. She went downstairs to find the source of the smell - homemade pizza was cooking in the oven.

“Good evening, sleepyhead!” Jenna teased. “Dinner will be ready at about 8.”

“Can’t wait! It smells delicious,” Hazel replied.

She sat on the couch in the living room and thought about how the dream kept coming back. Most nights, Hazel didn’t dream, and when she did, she barely remembered them. Yet somehow, this amazing dream was a continuous escape from reality. Hazel was looking forward to the adventure ahead. Soon enough, she would meet some dreamy vampires. Hazel laughed at the thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thank you for reading! This is starting off a little slow, but we can't jump into the action until we know the backstory, right? I am not a doctor, so please suspend your disbelief and ignore any medical errors. If I have made any mistakes in my writing, I am open to constructive criticism, and also suggestions! Hazel will end up with someone eventually, but I'm not sure who, although figuring it out will be fun. Once again, thanks for reading!


	2. Pilot Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=224299980 - Hazel's back-to-school outfit, but it's also described in the story

Two weeks of physical therapy came and went. Hazel was in great physical condition, but she was nervous about going to Mystic Falls High School and possibly meeting the Salvatores. After all, she didn’t want to screw up the amazing dream she had going, and everything is different when you know what’s going to happen.

Hazel had been thinking about what to do. Should she sit back and let fate take its course? Or should she intervene and risk the unpredictable consequences? Her very presence was a disruption to the original plot, and acting on knowledge she shouldn’t possess could raise questions she didn’t know how to answer. She figured she would take things step by step and burn those bridges when she came to them.

~

The morning of the first day of her sophomore year found Hazel grouchily hobbling her way downstairs and into the kitchen while the others were getting ready upstairs. She thoroughly searched the pantry and the fridge before declaring there was nothing to eat. She returned to her room and searched through the clothes the dream had provided before deciding on slightly distressed jeans and a loose wine colored shirt with criss cross details in the front. She added a simple black velvet choker, an opal ring, and opal stud earrings, then slipped on black low-rise Converse. She packed her backpack with the back-to-school supplies Jenna had bought for her, then headed into the bathroom. Hazel wrangled her messy ginger curls into a high ponytail, letting her bangs fall free. After brushing her teeth, she applied eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, and chapstick before heading downstairs in time to see Jenna rushing out the door.

“Good morning guys,” Hazel greeted the Gilbert siblings. Jeremy nodded in return.

“Hey! Jenna said to tell you good luck,” Elena replied. Hazel smiled and sat down at the island to wait for Bonnie.

Today was the day. Stefan would be at school, and he would run into Elena and change her life forever. Hazel pondered what would happen if they didn’t meet today, if Elena didn’t follow Jeremy into the men's’ room, if she went home after school instead of to the cemetery. What if Elena managed to avoid the one person who would change her life forever? But then again, there was still Klaus, and he would eventually find out about the doppelganger. One way or another, Elena would be swept into the world of the supernatural. Her fate was sealed. Hazel, on the other hand, could choose to avoid the Salvatores, and pretend to be oblivious. That certainly would be the safest route. But where’s the fun in that?

Hazel was pulled out of her contemplation by the sound of a car honking. She and Elena hurried outside to Bonnie’s car. She sat in the back and tried to pay attention to the conversation, but she was anticipating the crow with anxiety.

“So Grams is telling me I’m psychic. Our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that, I know, crazy, but she’s going on and on about it, and I’m like, put this woman in a home already! But then I started thinking, I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands,” Bonnie rambled on until she noticed Elena had zoned out. “Elena! Back in the car.”

“I did it again, didn’t I? I-I’m sorry Bonnie. You were telling me that…” Elena trailed off, unsure.

“That I’m psychic now,” Bonnie reminded her.

“Right. Okay, then predict something. About me,” Elena said with curiosity.

“And me!” Hazel piped up.

“I see…” Bonnie began, but suddenly a black blur hit the windshield. Bonnie swerved, momentarily losing control, but then stopped the car. Hazel had known it was coming, but she still hadn’t been prepared.

“What was that? Oh, my god! Elena, Hazel, are you okay?” Bonnie rushed over her words.

“I’m alright,” Hazel said.

“It’s okay. I’m fine,” Elena assured Bonnie.

“It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere,” Bonnie stated, slightly calmer.

Elena looked back at Hazel before speaking. “Really, we can’t be freaked out by cars for the rest of our lives.” Hazel nodded in agreement, but still mentally cursed Damon and his stupid crow.

Bonnie regained her composure and started driving again. “I predict this year is going to be kickass,” she stated confidently. “And I predict all the sad and dark times are over and you guys are going to be beyond happy.”

~

They arrived at school and went inside. Hazel realized that she didn’t know anyone her age other than Jeremy, so she stuck close to Elena.

“Major lack of male real estate. Look at the shower curtain on Kelly Beech. She looks like a hot… can I still say “tranny mess”? Bonnie gave lively commentary as the three walked through the halls, and Hazel laughed at her bright and cheery demeanor.

“No, that’s over,” Elena answered.

“Ah, find a man, coin a phrase. It’s a busy year,” Bonnie noted.

Elena spotted Matt nearby and waved, hoping that they could get over the awkward stage after their breakup. He clearly noticed, but ignored her.

“He hates me,” Elena sighed.

Bonnie was quick to reply. “That’s not hate. That’s ‘You dumped me, but I’m too cool to show it, but secretly I’m listening to Air Supply’s greatest hits.”

“Just give him time,” Hazel advised Elena. “You’re a pretty great gal. It would take anyone a little while to get over you.” Bonnie nodded in agreement, and Elena smiled.

“Elena, Hazel. Oh, my god,” a bubbly blonde exclaimed, bouncing up to the trio. She quickly hugged Elena and Hazel before firing off questions left and right. “How are you guys? Oh, it’s so good to see you. I had heard you woke up,” she addressed Hazel with the last bit. She turned to Bonnie before asking “How are they? Are they good?”

“Um, Caroline, we’re right here,” Hazel laughed. She wasn’t so fond of Season 1 Caroline, but she seemed so genuinely concerned in her own way that Hazel couldn’t help but take a liking to the “neurotic control freak”.

“We’re fine. Thank you,” Elena said politely.

“Really?” Caroline prodded.

“Yes, Caroline. We’re much better,” Hazel patiently replied.

“Oh, you poor things,” Caroline sympathized, pulling the two into another hug.

“Okay, Caroline.” Elena seemed to be getting antsy.

“Oh! Okay, see you guys later?” Caroline asked.

“Okay! Bye!” Bonnie recognized Elena’s agitation, and was eager for Caroline to leave.

“No comment,” Elena said once Caroline had bounded down the hall, going on her merry way.

“I’m not going to say anything,” Bonnie stated.  
Hazel laughed to herself. The day was starting off great, and she couldn’t be in a happier mood. All she had to do was survive her classes. She was a little sad she would miss the history class experiences, but she was a sophomore, while Tanner taught juniors. Besides, Tanner was still an asshat of a teacher, and Hazel wasn’t convinced she would be able to hold her snarky tongue.

Hazel, Elena, and Bonnie had been strolling along down the hall and now found themselves outside of the front office. Bonnie stopped abruptly. “Hold up. Who’s this?” she asked.

“All I see is back,” Elena replied. 

“It’s a hot back. I’m sensing Seattle, and he plays the guitar,” Bonnie mused.

“I’m gonna guess that this isn’t his first time in Mystic Falls,” Hazel stated. She couldn’t help it. It was too tempting.

“Oh, really? And what makes you think that?” Bonnie challenged playfully.

“I know you’re the psychic one and all, but I don’t know. Call it a hunch. Or a wild guess,” Hazel countered.

A boy suddenly called out, “Jeremy, good batch, man.”

Elena sighed angrily. “I’ll be right back.”

“Please be hot,” Bonnie muttered to herself, still focused on the hot back. 

Hazel chuckled, but she felt nervous all of a sudden. She wasn’t ready to meet Stefan. She didn’t know what to do, or say, or how to act. She didn’t want to follow Elena into the men’s room, because, well, ew. She had the urge to leave before Stefan could exit the office and see her. “Hey, I’m gonna go ahead and find my class,” she told Bonnie, who didn’t seem to notice, before scurrying off to Algebra 2 with Trigonometry. She found the classroom without a problem, and settled into a desk next to the wall. After fidgeting for a few moments, she finally pulled out her personal notebook and began to write. She documented her crazy adventure thus far, and journaled her hopes and wishes for the events to come. She quickly jotted down a fail-safe plan for if she was ever in danger. Her knowledge could be very valuable to anyone who wanted to kill her, and she intended to keep herself alive. If she died, the dream might dissipate, and Hazel wasn’t willing to take those chances.

~

The school day came and went in all its boring glory. In every one of her classes, Hazel’s teachers went over the syllabus and instructed the students to get parent/guardian signatures. They seemed to walk on eggshells when giving the assignment, glancing over at Hazel as if she was going to burst into tears and run out of the classroom. Hazel returned their hesitant gaze with a small smile of encouragement. She didn’t want their pity, nor did she want to be singled out due to the accident. Her dream didn’t provide memories of the Gilbert parents, so everyone’s sympathy made Hazel uncomfortable, and she wanted to avoid having to act out an appropriate response.

When the last bell rang, Hazel met up with Elena in front of the school. Elena said that she wanted to stop by the cemetery on the way home. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” she quickly added.

“No, it’s fine. I’d like to join you, if that’s alright.” Hazel responded. Elena nodded and the two made their way to their parents graves in peaceful silence. Elena sat down and wrote in her diary, and Hazel meandered about, lost in thought. A crow flew down to perch on their parents’ gravestones and caught the attention of both girls.

“Okay. Hi, bird. That’s not creepy or anything. Shoo!” Elena made arm gestures to drive the bird away. It flew off, and Elena stated matter-of-factly, “That’s what I thought.”

But she had spoke too soon. The crow swooped down again, and a thick fog swirled its way over the ground. The blurry figure of a man could be seen through the dense clouds, and it scared the hell out of Elena. She let out a brief yell before running away, forgetting her diary on the ground, and something else, too… oh yeah, her _sister_. Hazel rolled her eyes at Elena, but felt her heart speed up as she realized the identity of the man. 

“You can come out, now,” she called out, crossing her arms. She felt a surge of bravery and confidence and decided to roll with it. The figure chuckled, then slowly sauntered out of the fog. Hazel had thought she was prepared, but wasn’t. That seemed to be the theme of the day. She took in the man’s inky hair and cobalt blue eyes that were sparkling with mischief. Her breath caught in her throat, and it took her a moment before she mentally kicked herself. This man was used to female attention, and Hazel was determined _not_ to be another mindless admirer of Damon Salvatore. 

“You gave my sister quite the scare. That’s not very nice, you know,” she remarked after pulling herself together. 

“I’m not very good at playing nice,” he responded in a playful voice with underlying danger. 

“Duly noted,” Hazel spoke, determined not to let him get under her skin. “So do you always hang around the cemetery like a serial killer, or is today a special case?” Hazel kept a snarky tone in her voice, aware of the irony in her words. She surmised that Damon noticed as well, from his smirk. 

“Well it seems today is special, considering I’ve had the pleasure of running into you,” he slyly replied. 

Hazel wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so she decided to leave the conversation, quite literally. “Right, well. I’m flattered, but I think I ought to be going. Runaway sister, and all that.” She turned around to leave, but suddenly Damon was in front of her. 

Hazel briefly wondered if this was it, if she was already going to die, before meeting Stefan, before Elena’s realization, before everything. It was only the start of it all, and here Hazel was, already condemned to death. “Please don’t kill me,” she mumbled to herself, vaguely aware he would hear. 

Damon paused for a moment, as if mildly surprised she would say such a thing, before saying, “I’m not gonna kill you. For now, at least. Can’t make any promises about the future, but you seem to be a pretty brave girl, and I have to admit, I’m impressed.” 

Hazel considered his words, and figured she must have made a good first impression. Before she could say anything, he caught her gaze, and Hazel found that she couldn’t look away. His pupils dilated, as he said, “You will forget our encounter today. You will only remember if I tell you to. I look forward to seeing you around, Hazel Gilbert.” 

Hazel blinked. She wondered for a moment where Elena had gone before remembering the bird incident. She looked around, but the crow was gone and the fog was dispersing. “Damn bird,” Hazel muttered, acutely aware that if Damon was around, he would hear. She headed towards the direction Elena had run off in. 

When Hazel found Elena, she seemed bewildered. “What?” Hazel questioned curiously. 

“Nothing, it’s just… I’ll tell you on the way home,” Elena said, realizing that Hazel didn’t know who Stefan was. She told Hazel about running into a guy outside of the men’s room, then the stares during history, and finally the awkward confrontation in the cemetery. Hazel listened with interest, laughing and interjecting at key moments. She already knew, of course, but she felt like she was hearing it for the first time. 

In reality, Hazel didn’t have a sister, but she thought that if she did, it would feel something like this. Gossiping about high school and boys, and giving sisterly advice. Hanging out together without shame, and laughing at inside jokes. Fighting occasionally, but making up, forgiving, and hugging until the last drop of resentment was squeezed out of their systems. Hazel had always wanted a sister. 

The duo arrived home and Hazel went straight to Jenna. “Hey, legal guardian, can you sign my syllabuses? Or syllabi? Whatever the plural of syllabus is?” she asked. 

“I’ll get right on that,” Jenna said, taking the stack of papers Hazel was holding. 

Elena came into the kitchen. “Hey, I’m meeting Bonnie at the grill.,” she announced. “Hazel, do you want to come?” 

Hazel considered going, but she didn’t feel up to a night out. Besides, Bonnie and Caroline were more Elena’s friends than Hazel’s. While they were kind to her, she wasn’t sure they’d appreciate her tagging along. “No thank you. School has me tuckered out,” she politely declined. Elena nodded in understanding. 

“Okay, have fun. Wait, I got this. Don’t stay out late, it’s a school night,” she said with parent-like authority. 

“Well done, Aunt Jenna,” Elena complimented her aunt. 

“I commend you,” Hazel added. Jenna smiled at her. “I’ll be upstairs if you need me.” 

Hazel went upstairs, and Elena went to leave the house. Hazel had just entered her room when she heard voices. She remembered that Stefan must have come to return Elena’s diary. Hazel quickly closed the door. She didn’t want to meet Stefan yet. She listened carefully and heard Elena return the diary to her room before retreating back downstairs to a waiting Stefan. She only relaxed once she heard the front door close. 

Since Hazel had a free night all to herself, she pulled out her notebook and continued writing for a while before putting in earbuds and having a solo lip sync party. “Check Yes, Juliet” by We the Kings had just ended when Jenna knocked and entered the room. 

“Oh, hey” Hazel said in greeting. 

“Hey yourself. So, are you actually tired or was there another reason you didn’t want to go with Elena tonight?” she asked kindly. Hazel sighed and pulled out her earbuds before sitting cross-legged on her bed. She patted the spot to her left, and Jenna moved to sit next to her. 

“First of all, there’s nothing wrong with Elena or her friends. I’m not trying to trash-talk them. They’re kind to me, or at least kind enough. But they're _her_ friends, and only mine by association. Bonnie and Caroline are pretty great, but they’re a year older than me, and I can’t imagine they would actually want me to tag along. Think about it, Aunt Jenna. I’m the uncool little sister. They may think I’m pretty cool at first, but how long will it take for them to see me as annoying and clingy? I can’t just follow Elena around all the time. She’ll probably get tired of me too, eventually,” Hazel explained her fears to Jenna. She had just gotten the chance to have a sister in her dream, and she didn’t want to go and ruin it.

Jenna smiled. “I know how you feel, Hazel. I felt the same way about your mom when we were in high school. She was the popular girl, and I was just her little sister. Miranda was nice, and invited me to hang out with her and her friends. I didn’t want to, for the same reason you didn’t go with Elena tonight. But what I didn’t realize is that I was pushing her away. She stopped inviting me after a while, because she got the message that I didn’t want to hang out with her. I only realized what I had done way later, when one of her friends commented on it. So while you think you’re doing Elena and her friends a favor, you’re not. If they didn’t want to hang out with you, they would tell Elena. Caroline, especially. You know how that girl is with her mouth,” Jenna said with a smile. 

Hazel laughed. Jenna was right. And not just about Caroline. If she continued to decline Elena’s offers, she would only succeed in pushing her new sister away. “Thanks, Jenna. You’re right.”

“I always am,” Jenna joked. “Now, I rented a horrendously cheesy-looking horror movie, and I was hoping you would help me ridicule it and call out the cliches.”

Hazel smiled. “With pleasure,” she accepted Jenna’s request.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This isn't all of the Pilot, so when I'm completely done writing it I'll either add it to this chapter or make a new one. If you have any suggestions or constructive criticism, comment! Thanks for reading!


	3. Pilot Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hazel's back-to-school bonfire outfit - it's also described in the story
> 
> https://www.polyvore.com/universal_truths_chapter/set?id=224339122

On the way to school the next day, Elena had invited Hazel to come to the bonfire that night, and Hazel accepted, her conversation with Jenna still fresh in her mind. 

The school day was as boring as the first. The last bell finally rang, and while they walked home, Elena told Hazel about Stefan showing Tanner up in history class. 

When they got home, they jumped right into getting ready for the back-to-school bonfire. Hazel asked Elena to fishtail her hair, and Elena happily agreed. Hazel wore black jeans with rips at the knee, a Fall Out Boy tank top under a red and black buffalo check flannel, and black booties. She put on some black studs, a Celtic design ring, and a long black bow choker. She painted her nails a mahogany color, and touched up her eye makeup from school before applying crimson matte lipstick and French lavender and honey perfume (she liked how sophisticated it sounded). 

Before they left, Hazel filled up a water bottle (with water). She didn’t know what kind of drunk she was, but she did not want to find out, and she couldn’t count on the beverages at the party to be alcohol-free. Elena laughed at how responsible she was. While Hazel dressed slightly edgy and had a sharp tongue, she would probably be considered the good child.

Elena and Hazel jammed out the entire way to the party, singing along to the upbeat music with the windows rolled down. Hazel was almost giddy with excitement. When they got there, they found Bonnie immediately. She greeted Hazel and Elena enthusiastically, which made Hazel feel welcome. They started talking about Stefan, of course, and Hazel observed the conversation, amused.

“Just admit it, Elena,” Bonnie said.

“Okay, so he’s a little pretty,” Elena granted.

“He has that romance novel stare,” Bonnie was adamant on the suject. “Hazel, back me up.”

“I haven’t seen him. Sorry, Bonnie, but I can’t help you on this one,” Hazel laughed good-naturedly.

“Really? Well then you have got to meet him. Where is he, Elena?” Bonnie asked.

“I don’t know. You tell me, you’re the psychic one,” Elena reminded her.

“Right, I forgot. Okay, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate,” Bonnie began to focus.

“Wait, you need a crystal ball!” Elena interjected. She looked around for a moment before picking up an empty beer bottle. When Bonnie went to take it, her hand brushed Elena’s. She spaced out, and abruptly pulled away when she came back to her senses.

“Bonnie?” Hazel asked, slightly nervous.

“That was weird. When I touched you, I saw a crow,” Bonnie said, perplexed.

“What?” Elena asked.

“A crow. There was fog, a man. I’m drunk. It’s the drinking. There’s nothing psychic about it. Yeah? Okay, I’m gonna get a refill,” Bonnie hurried away.

“Okay?” Elena was puzzled.

“I’m gonna go make sure she’s alright,” Hazel said. She was aware that Bonnie would be okay, but she wanted to be there for her. Hazel needed to try to stop thinking of Bonnie and Caroline as Elena’s friends, but rather as Elena and her friends. She hastily followed after Bonnie.

Bonnie was almost done with another bottle of beer when Hazel caught up to her. She figured there was no use trying to talk about it now, and looked around. Almost everyone was drunk or buzzed, and Hazel was miraculously still clinging to her morals. She went to sit on a log beside the fire for a little while. A few people tried to make polite conversation, but Hazel wasn’t interested in meaningless small talk, so she ended each exchange as politely as her exasperated mood allowed.

~

Over on the bridge overlooking the party, Elena and Stefan were talking.

“I like Bonnie, she seems like a good friend,” Stefan remarked.

“Best friend in the world,” Elena confirmed.

“And the girl who ran after her, that’s your younger sister?” Stefan asked.

“Yup, Hazel. Don’t let her punk-ish appearance fool you. She’s the little angel of the Gilbert siblings. Although she can be a smartass,” Elena warned. “But she even brought a water bottle because she didn’t want to drink beer.”

Stefan laughed. “She sounds like a great girl.”

Elena nodded in agreement. “I’m not sure how she’s holding up, though. After almost four months in a coma, you would think she wouldn’t be doing as good as she is. I sometimes wonder if she’s breaking down on the inside. I mean, how can she be okay, just like that? Everyone else has had time to properly mourn and grieve. Hazel hasn’t, yet she’s been nothing but sunshine and rainbows ever since she woke up. I don’t understand how she does it, but I sure wish she could teach me.”

The two continued to talk, bonding over the deep conversation.

~

Back down at the party, Hazel was sick of the deafening atmosphere and decided to take a walk. She began strolling absentmindedly through the forest. As the rowdy noise from the party began to die away, so did Hazel’s crankiness. Parties weren’t exactly her scene, especially if she didn’t know anyone. 

She kept ambling along until she glanced up from her feet to see a gory scene. Damon was holding Vicki, his face buried in her neck, blood dripping down her limp body. Her head was rolled back, eyes closed. Hazel gasped involuntarily.

Damon froze. He slowly looked up to meet Hazel’s wide eyes. She mentally kicked herself a few times. She had known this was going to happen. She had _known_. And yet, she had wandered right up to the scene of the crime.

Damon dropped Vicki, and Hazel flinched. He walked up to her, painstakingly slow. Blood stained his mouth and chin, and Hazel realized with stinging clarity that she had blown it. It was over for her. Even with her knowledge, she had managed to get herself killed during the events of the first episode.

The vampire stopped right in front of Hazel, and he was so close that she could smell the blood, the sickening scent almost making her gag. Her stomach churned as she stared into his searing eyes.

“You’re making it awfully difficult for me not to kill you,” he stated, not even attempting to hide the threat in his voice.

“I guess I’m a classic example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Hazel retorted, her voice trembling.

He smirked, and Hazel’s attention was drawn to the bloody corner of his mouth. She quickly looked away.

“What’s wrong? Blood makes you squeamish?” Damon questioned with fake concern.

“Well, normally, no. But when mine might be next on your menu, I guess you could say that I’m a little unsettled, yes,” Hazel was amazed she could fear for her life and still be a smartass. Damon seemed amused by her attitude as well. “Let’s cut to the chase, Dracula,” Hazel said. “Are you gonna eat me? If you’d like a second opinion, my vote is no.”

Damon’s smirk grew. The girl had fire, he had to admit. Besides, he already ate. Hazel would be much more fun alive. “No,” he stated decisively. “I’m not going to eat you.” He then compelled her. “You will forget our encounter tonight. You’ll only remember if I tell you to. See you around, firecracker.”

Hazel momentarily forgot where she was. Nearby, she thought she heard Elena and Jeremy arguing. She looked around, and her eyes fell on an unconscious Vicki.

“Help!” she called out, rushing to her side. “Somebody help!” Hazel examined the bite wound and quickly pulled off her flannel. She raised Vicki’s neck and gently but firmly pressed her shirt against it, hoping to slow the bleeding. She had already lost a lot of blood.

Jeremy and Elena came running towards her cries and froze.

“Oh, my god. Vicki!” Jeremy shouted.

“Oh, my god.” Elena was shocked.

Jeremy rushed into action. He picked Vicki up bridal style, wary of her injury, and carefully hurried back to the party. Hazel and Elena followed. As soon as they emerged from the trees and Jeremy stopped, Hazel once again pressed her shirt against the laceration.

“Somebody help!” Elena yelled.

“Vicki? Vicki, what the hell?!” Matt exclaimed.

“What happened to her?” Tyler asked worriedly.

“Somebody, call an ambulance!” Matt yelled at the growing crowd.

“Everybody back up, give her some space!” Tyler instructed.

“It’s her neck. Something bit her. She’s losing a lot of blood,” Elena explained.

“Vicki, Vicki, come on. Open your eyes, look at me,” Matt pleaded.

An ambulance soon arrived, and the paramedics carried Vicki away. Matt rode with her to the hospital, and the party dispersed.

“Hey, that was quick thinking with your shirt,” Elena said, gesturing to Hazel’s bloody hand holding her even bloodier flannel in a wad. 

Hazel glanced down and grimaced. “Thanks.”

Bonnie approached them. “Hey, we’re gonna go to Mainline Coffee, wait for news,” she announced.

“I gotta take Jeremy home,” Elena said.

“Can I go with Bonnie, Elena? If she can give me a ride home?” Hazel asked, looking hopefully at the two.

“I can give her a ride,” Bonnie said.

“Okay then. I’ll tell Jenna.” Elena started to turn around.

“Elena,” Bonnie stopped her. “There’s no way I’m psychic. I know that. But whatever I saw, or think I saw, I have this feeling…”

“Bonnie, what?” Elena encouraged her to continue.

“That it’s just the beginning.” Bonnie solemnly stated. Hazel shivered. They had no idea.

Elena walked off to confront Jeremy, who was blatantly drinking beer despite the multiple police officers around. Bonnie and Hazel helped Caroline to the car, and the three went to the Grill.

“Are you sober yet?” Bonnie asked Caroline after she had drunk some coffee.

“No,” Caroline sounded miserable.

“Keep drinking. I gotta get you and Hazel home. I gotta get _me_ home,” Bonnie said.

“Why didn’t he go for me? You know, how come the guys that I want never want me?” Caroline questioned pitifully. Hazel felt a pang in her heart.

“I’m not touching that,” Bonnie chose to steer clear of that mess, but Caroline continued.

“I’m inappropriate. I always say the wrong thing. And… Elena always says the right thing. She doesn’t even try! And he just picks her. And she’s always the one that everyone picks, for everything. And I try so hard, and… I’m never the one,” Caroline vented her frustrations, and Hazel realized that she empathized with Caroline.

Hazel spoke up before Bonnie could. “Caroline, someone is out there who will always pick you. He won’t even notice Elena, because he’ll be completely and utterly enraptured by your beauty. Maybe you’ve met him, or maybe you have yet to meet him, but he is out there, I promise you.”

Caroline seemed to consider her words before responding. “I’ve never had good luck with boys. They don’t like me, and if they pretend to, it’s just to get in my pants.”

Hazel thought about how to reply. “Well I’ve never had good luck with boys either. You wanna know something?” Hazel waited to be sure she had Caroline’s attention. “My very first crush was on a gay guy.” Caroline laughed. It was true, and Hazel had known Caroline would find it funny. “And besides, guys are overrated anyway. The smell alone is enough to drive a woman mad.” Caroline continued to laugh at Hazel’s brutal assessment of males, and Bonnie let out a chuckle.

Bonnie excused herself to go to the restroom, and Caroline noticed someone behind Hazel. Hazel forced herself not to turn around, knowing full well that Caroline was now smiling at Damon. She pretended to be interested in her nails, and didn’t look up until Bonnie was back and ready to take the girls home. She dropped off Hazel first, and Caroline thanked her for cheering her up. Hazel smiled and said no problem, then thanked Bonnie for the ride.

Hazel went straight up to her room, exhausted from the events of the day. She quickly got ready for bed, and curled up in her covers. _What a crazy day_ , she thought as she drifted off. _And to think, I haven’t even met Stefan yet_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished the rest of the Pilot! Yay! I'm hoping that part of the fun of writing this will come from reader input, so if you have any suggestions, hit me up! I'm taking things episode by episode, so there are no huge plans as of right now. I'd love to hear any ideas! Thanks for reading!


	4. Reassurance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Night of the Comet
> 
> Outfit for school: https://www.polyvore.com/school/set?id=224381974 
> 
> Outfit for school & Night of Comet: http://www.polyvore.com/night_comet/set?id=224448027

The craziness from the past night faded into a distant memory as Hazel surveyed her wardrobe options. She decided on a sarcastic shirt, light blue jeans, and red converse. She tied a black and white flannel around her waist, and put on some jewelry before applying makeup. She spritzed on perfume, then thought for a moment before heading back to her jewelry.

Hazel didn’t want to have to wait very long to get some vervain, so she decided to “accidentally” leave a necklace at the Salvatore house and mention it to Stefan later. She sighed when she found that her dream didn’t provide any lockets. But as she stared at her jewelry in defeat, her attention caught on a ring. She picked it up. It was silver with black onyx, and had fancy detailing. She scrutinized the silver metalwork, and suddenly realized that the ring had a compartment. She opened it up and smiled. _Looks like my plan will work after all_ , she thought, slipping the ring on with delight.

Hazel went downstairs to hear Jenna ask Elena, “Do I look adult? As in respectfully parental?”

“Ugh. Why would you want to?” Hazel announced her presence.

“Because I have to go to Jeremy’s parent-teacher conference. Hair up or down?” Jenna responded, holding her hair up.

“Sexy stewardess,” Elena approved. Jenna dropped her hair. “Boozy housewife.”

“Up it is. You’re feisty today,” Jenna commented.

“I feel good, which is rare. I’ve decided to go with it. Fly free, walk on sunshine, and all that. Where is Jeremy?” Elena noticed her brother’s absence.

“He left early. Something about getting to wood shop early to finish a birdhouse.” Jenna paused, realization slowly dawning on her face. “There is no wood shop, is there?”

“Nope,” Hazel answered.

“Yeah,” Jenna said softly.

 

~

 

After school, Hazel caught up with Bonnie and Caroline on the way outside.

“I’m confused. Are you psychic or clairvoyant?” Caroline asked Bonnie.

“Technically, Grams says I’m a witch. My ancestors were these really cool Salem witch chicks or something. Grams tried to explain it all, but she was looped on the liquor so I kinda tuned out. Crazy family, yes. Witches? I don’t think so,” Bonnie explained.

“Yeah, well, feel free to conjure up the name and number of that guy from last night,” Caroline said dreamily.

“Hazel, did you see him?” Bonnie asked. Hazel shook her head. “We didn’t see him. You did,” Bonnie continued. “Why didn’t you just talk to him?”

“I don’t know. I was drunk,” Caroline defended.

The three met up with Elena and they all drove to the Grill, sitting outside.

“I was talking to Grams, and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom. The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was lots of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity,” Bonnie said.

“Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot and she told you about the aliens.” Caroline said dismissively. She turned to Elena excitedly. “So then what?”

“So then nothing,” Elena replied.

“You and Stefan talked all night? There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy feely of any kind?” Caroline interrogated, disbelief clear in her voice.

“Nope. We didn’t go there,” Elena answered, resolute.

“Not even a handshake? I mean, Elena, we are your friends. Okay? You are supposed to share the smut,” Caroline urged.

“Ew,” Hazel said.

Elena smiled at her younger sister. “We just talked for hours.”

“Okay, what is with the blockage?” Caroline exclaimed. “Just jump his bones already! Okay, it’s easy. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex!” Hazel was beginning to remember why Caroline was not her favorite character.

“Profound,” Elena muttered sarcastically. She stood up.

“Where are you going?” Bonnie asked, confused.

“Caroline’s right. It is easy. If I sit here long enough, I’ll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I started the day saying I was going to do,” Elena said.

“But you’re my ride!” Hazel protested.

“Then I guess you’re coming with me,” Elena resolved.

Hazel grumbled, but went with Elena to the Salvatore boarding house. Elena seemed nervous as she steeled herself to knock. Hazel rolled her eyes and knocked first. The door creaked open, and the girls hesitantly walked inside.

“Stefan?” Elena called out. “Stefan?”

A crow flew into the house and startled both sisters. They turned around, only to be scared again by an attractive man standing in front of them. Damon Salvatore.

“I… I’m sorry for barging in. The door was…” Elena faltered as she noticed that the door was now closed. “...open.”

“You must be Elena. And you must be Hazel,” Damon turned to address each of them. “I’m Damon, Stefan’s brother.”

“He didn’t tell me he had a brother,” Elena stated, confused.

“He didn’t tell you he didn’t have a brother,” Hazel pointed out, only realizing her mistake after the words left her mouth. She wasn’t supposed to know that. Holding her breath, she glanced at Elena to search for any signs she had noticed the blunder, while mentally kicking herself and saying _stupid, stupid, stupid_ …

“Well, Stefan’s not one to brag,” Damon loudly interrupted Elena’s train of thought. “Please, come in. I’m sure Stefan will be along any second.”

Hazel let out a breath of relief. The girls walked farther into the house to see a huge room filled with furniture pieces that had to be in great condition for their age. _Kind of like Damon and Stefan_ , Hazel thought, smiling at her joke.

“Wow. This is your living room?” Elena asked in awe.

“Living room, parlor, Sotheby’s auction. It’s a little kitschy for my taste,” Damon replied. “I see why my brother’s so smitten. It’s about time. For a while there, I never thought he’d get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him.”

“Subtle,” Hazel muttered. Damon’s eyes flicked to her, but she pretended not to notice. She started to walk around the room, looking for a good spot to stash the ring.

“The last one?” Elena took the bait.

“Yeah. Katherine, his girlfriend? Oh, you two haven’t had the awkward exes conversation yet,” Damon pretended to realize.

“Nope,” Elena said.

“Oops. Well, I’m sure it’ll come up now. Or maybe he didn’t want to tell you because he didn’t want you to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end,” Damon obviously implied.

Hazel stealthily slid her ring onto an out-of-the-way table before butting in. “Or maybe he hasn’t told her because they’ve literally only known each other for two days,” she said innocently. She saw a flash of annoyance in Damon’s eyes before he got it under control.

“Maybe,” he gritted out. “But I’m more of a fatalist.”

“Evidently,” Hazel commented, making her way back to Damon and Elena.

“Hello Stefan,” Damon said, choosing to ignore Hazel’s last comment. Elena and Hazel looked over at the other Salvatore, only just now noticing his presence.

“Elena. Hazel. I didn’t know you were coming over,” Stefan said rigidly.

Elena started to apologize. “I know, I should have called, I just-”

“Oh, don’t be silly,” Damon cut her off. “You’re welcome anytime. You too, Hazel. Aren’t they, Stefan? You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies. But, I have to warn you… He wasn’t always such a looker.”

“Like you were,” Hazel said under her breath. Damon’s gaze flicked to her once again, and once again she pretended to be oblivious.

“Thank you for stopping by, Elena. Hazel. Nice to see you,” Stefan got out. The message was clear: leave.

“Yeah, we should probably go. It was nice to meet you, Damon,” Elena said politely.

“Nice meeting you,” Hazel echoed.

“Great meeting you, too, Elena. Hazel,” Damon said in farewell.

Stefan stood as solid as a rock, staring Damon down. Elena and Hazel went to leave, but he was in the way.

“Stefan. Stefan?” Elena said. He moved to the side to let the girls pass. They left as quickly as possible.

The Salvatore brothers continued their conversation after the Gilberts had left

“Great gal. Whoo! She’s got spunk. And that Hazel’s got _fire_ ,” he emphasized. “You, on the other hand, look pooped. Did you over-exert yourself today? Let me guess: hospital.” Stefan had indeed visited the hospital to compel Vicki to forget the creature that attacked her in the woods.

“Someone had to clean up your mess,” Stefan stated harshly.

“Well, were you successful?Did the powers of persuasion work? Remember, if you don’t feed properly, none of those little tricks work right,” Damon reminded him with mock concern.

“How long were they here?” Stefan brushed off Damon’s statement.

“Were you worried, Stefan? Scared we may be doomed to repeat the past? Isn’t that why you play your little game, ‘I’m a high school human’?” Damon tried to get under Stefan’s skin.

“I’m not playing any game,” Stefan declared.

“Of course you are. We both know the closest you’ll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it,” Damon continued to press Stefan’s buttons.

“What kind of game are you playing, Damon?” Stefan couldn’t hold it in anymore. He needed to know what Damon was up to.

“Guess you’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?” Damon asked rhetorically, smiling smugly.

 

~

 

Over at the Gilbert house, Elena vented to Jenna and Hazel.

“He’s on the rebound and has raging family issues,” she said dejectedly.

“Elena, Stefan seems perfectly fine to me. Well, besides the family issues. Did you not notice how Damon _intentionally_ brought up his ex? Besides, you’ve known each other less than a week. He’s not necessarily trying to hide it,” Hazel defended Stefan.

“And even if he is on the rebound, at least it’s an ex-girlfriend. Wail till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues. Or amphetamine issues,” Jenna said.

The front door slammed before Elena could respond. Jenna hurried over to see Jeremy about to walk up the stairs. “Jeremy? Jeremy, where were you?” she asked worriedly.

“More stoner stories? Look, Jenna, I get it. You were cool. And so that’s… that’s cool,” Jeremy responded, stoned.

“Oh, no, no, no!” Jenna griped, chucking the apple she had been holding at Jeremy’s retreating back.

“Ow! Why… why did you do that?” Jeremy’s voice was thick with confusion.

“Listen up!” Jenna commanded. “Quit ditching class or you’re grounded. No discussion.”

Jeremy smiled at Jenna taking charge. “Parental authority. I like it. Sleep tight,” he dismissed her jurisdiction and continued up the stairs.

Jenna sighed and went back to the kitchen. The three girls stayed up a little longer, talking about school and boys and cheer practice coming up on Friday. Hazel yawned, realizing how tired she was, and said goodnight to Jenna and Elena before going to bed.

 

~

 

School the next day was fairly easy. The teachers knew that many students were going to the celebration that night to watch the comet, and decided to take pity on them. There was little to no homework in every class (by now, they had actually started learning the curriculum). The hours went by, and Hazel joined Bonnie and Elena to pass out pamphlets in the town square.

“Tonight, night of the comet!” Bonnie called, then turned to a pedestrian nearby. “Would you like a program?”

She passed a few out before turning to Elena. “He didn’t call, huh?”

“Or text. But I realized we never even exchanged that stuff,” Elena answered.

“That’s an important milestone in any relationship,” Bonnie noted. Hazel giggled at that.

“Isn’t it?” Elena agreed. “The timing is wrong anyway.” Hazel rolled her eyes. Elena wasn’t even putting up a fight.

Bonnie must have thought the same thing, because she countered, “When is it ever right?”

“I’m not ready, Bonnie,” Elena insisted.

“When will you ever be?” Hazel interjected.

“At least I put myself out there,” Elena said defensively. Hazel rolled her eyes, more dramatically this time, to be sure Elena would see.

“Is that what you’re calling it?” Bonnie ridiculed.

“What do you mean?” Elena asked.

“Elena, you’re looking for an easy out to avoid getting hurt,” Hazel addressed her sister, and she thought that truer words might have never left her mouth.

“Yeah. All I’m hearing is reasons why you can’t,” Bonnie agreed. Elena seemed to consider her words.

Hazel handed out her last flyer, then turned to the Bonnie and Elena. “Hey, I’m gonna go hang at the Grill. I’ll grab some tables if you want me to,” she said.

“Yeah, that’d be great,” Bonnie replied.

Hazel nodded and walked off into the restaurant. She sat down and started to think. Elena was scared, and understandably so, but she was throwing away a chance at happiness. Hazel wanted Elena to be happy, if only for a little while, before their lives went to hell in a hand basket. She was pulled out of her thoughts when someone sat down across from her. She looked up to meet the eyes of Damon.

“Hello, gorgeous,” he smirked at her.

She rolled her eyes at his flattery. “Hello, Eris.” She let a smirk of her own settle on her face at his confused expression. “Eris is the Greek deity of discord," she explained.

He regained his smirk. “And why would you associate me with discord?”

“Well, you see, there’s an interesting story that involves Eris. A young couple loved each other very much, so they decided to get married. The gods and goddesses were invited to the wedding, except for Eris. She was infuriated, as you can guess, so she made an unexpected appearance. She came bearing a “gift”, an apple that was addressed “to the fairest”. Three goddesses wanted to claim the apple for themselves, and argued among themselves, before asking a mortal prince to choose which of them was worthy of the title of “fairest”, and therefore the apple. They offered bribes, and he chose one of the three, thus starting a war. You may be familiar with the Trojan War? So you see, Eris was a bitter being who wished suffering and unhappiness upon others. I’m sure you can understand how you would remind me of her, seeing as you’re trying to drive a stake between Stefan and Elena.” Hazel looked at him, a challenge in her eyes.

As she told the story, Damon’s expression stayed the same, but his eyes lost their smugness and looked back at her with an icy coldness. It scared her, but she didn’t back down.

“Well, I’m flattered that you think me capable of causing so much destruction. Causing a war is no easy task,” he said, his voice filled with fake pride.

“Damon, can you stop being a self-centered, egotistical jackass for one second, and tell me seriously why the hell you want my sister to be unhappy?” Hazel asked, exasperated with his bad boy act.

Damon dropped his smirk and his face turned serious. “Maybe it’s not about your sister. Who’s self-centered now?” he sneered. “Next time you want to insult me, I would think twice.” he added threateningly, before slipping off his seat and away from a frustrated Hazel.

Of course, Damon was only enacting his everlasting revenge on Stefan, but he had no regard for collateral damage. This made Hazel want to tear her hair out. Couldn’t he see? Damon considered his life ruined when Stefan forced him to finish the transition. For that, he promised Stefan an eternity of misery. But Damon was also bringing misery to everyone around him. He was ruining lives in the name of vengeance, and he didn’t care. Damon had turned into the very reason he hated Stefan. The hypocrisy was so overwhelming, Hazel could scream.

Hazel’s silent storm-fest was interrupted when Tyler came to sit with her.

“Hey, Hazel,” he said.

“Hey,” Hazel echoed awkwardly. She hadn’t spoken directly with Tyler before, but she knew that he could be kind of an asshole.

“How can you and Jeremy be twins, yet act so different?” Tyler blurted out.

Hazel laughed. The question caught her off guard. “Well, I’ve always been more of a dreamer than a fighter,” she answered.

He smiled. “I remember when we were little you would always want to play pretend, and you would always be a mermaid,” he laughed.

“Well, I feel a special connection to Ariel. It’s a redhead thing,” she responded. She wished she had memories of growing up in Mystic Falls.

“Where did you get your red hair? Most of your family has brown hair,” Tyler seemed genuinely curious.

“Well,” she started, not quite sure how to answer, “my aunt has strawberry-ish hair, and the ginger gene can skip generations.”

He nodded, contemplating the genetics of hair color. “Don’t think about it too hard. Your head might explode,” Hazel joked.

Tyler laughed, a real laugh, and Hazel was surprised. “What, Tyler?” she asked.

“Nothing, you’re just funny,” he said honestly. She smiled and looked down, feeling her cheeks start to heat up. She wasn’t used to compliments, especially not from boys. Although she didn’t feel a romantic attraction to Tyler, she thought that maybe after the Vicki deal blew over they could be friends.

“Well, you’re not so bad yourself, when you aren’t agonizing my twin,” she said. Her tone was joking, but it also held a note of truth.

His smile faltered. Luckily, he didn’t have time to respond before Matt joined them.

“Hey guys,” Matt greeted.

“Hey,” Tyler said.

“Hi Matt,” Hazel greeted with a smile. She hadn’t really talked to Matt before either, but she felt more comfortable with him than with Tyler.

“You know, things used to be so much easier when we were kids,” Matt stated. Hazel looked at him, noticing the sadness in his eyes.

“Those were the good old times,” Tyler said. “We were just reliving Hazel’s mermaid days.”

Matt smiled at that. “You wanted me to be the prince every time,” he said.

Hazel blushed. “Well, it was either you or Tyler. Slim pickings, if you ask me,” she retorted.

“Hey!” Tyler exclaimed in mock offense.

“What, would you have wanted to be my prince instead?” she asked sarcastically.

Tyler smirked. “Well, I mean…”

Hazel rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “You know, I’ve never really talked to either of you before,” she observed. She was nervous about how they might respond to this. She enjoyed their conversation and playful banter, and hoped it could become a regular occurrence.

“Yeah, even when I was dating your sister, I never really talked to you. It wasn’t on purpose, it just kind of happened,” Matt noticed.

“Well, we’ll just have to change that, won’t we?” Tyler said.

Hazel smiled. “I guess so.”

Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena joined them then, and the six chatted together for a little while, reliving childhood memories, until Jeremy came up to them.

“Hey, has anyone seen Vicki?” he asked with concern.

Hazel could see the shift in Tyler's attitude before he spoke. “You’re her stalker. You tell us.”

“I can’t find her,” Jeremy stressed.

“She probably found someone else to party with. Sorry, pill pusher, I guess you’ve been replaced,” Tyler sneered.

“What’s with the ‘pill pusher’?” Elena spoke up. Hazel sighed internally.

“You wanna do this right now?” Jeremy warned.

“Are you dealing?” Elena wouldn’t back down.

“She’s never gonna go for you,” Tyler taunted, and Hazel closed her eyes. One second, that’s how long it took for him to go from possible friend to jackass jerk.

“She already did. Over and over and over again,” Jeremy jeered back.

‘Yeah, right,” Tyler rebuffed.

“You slept with Vicki Donovan? I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?” Caroline all but screamed in disbelief.

“There’s no way,” Tyler said, but he seemed uncertain.

“And I didn’t even have to force her into it,” Jeremy said, and Hazel winced, squeezing her eyes closed even harder.

“What the hell is he talking about, Ty?” Matt demanded.

“Nothing, man, just ignore him. He’s a punk,” Tyler replied.

Hazel couldn’t take it any longer. She was super uncomfortable. “We can argue later!” she yelled. “Let’s just find Vicki.” Matt nodded in agreement.

Bonnie and Caroline went to check the back, Tyler went off somewhere, and Matt went to check the square. Jeremy volunteered to go with Matt, but Elena stopped him.

“Oh no, no, no. You’re coming with us,” she said, roping Hazel into the conversation as well. “So that’s your game now, dealing?”

“I’m not dealing,” Jeremy denied her accusation.

“Look, I’m sick of the tough love speech, Jer. It’s clearly having no impact,” Elena said.

“You and Jenna, between the two of you. Enough already!” Jeremy exclaimed.

“We can stop if you want. Send you to a therapist where you'll be forced to deal with it, or to rehab where you'll sit in group and tell some stranger how you let your life fall apart. Or you can talk to us!” Elena pleaded, looking to Hazel for help.

“I vote for none of the above,” Jeremy said coldly.

“Jeremy,” Hazel said, stopping him before he could walk away. “I know I haven’t talked to you about this yet, because I haven’t known how. I want to help you, but I don’t know how,” she emphasized. “The drugs probably feel good now, but reality sets back in as soon as the high goes away. If you don’t face it, you won’t be able to truly move on. Drugs are just a temporary solution. You’re only procrastinating the pain, and if you keep going down this road, you’ll destroy your body before you move on. We want what’s best for you, Jeremy. So please believe me when I say that drugs are not what’s best for you.” Her voice was filled with gentle concern. Hazel desperately wanted Jeremy to believe her. She didn’t want to ruin their relationship, but she also couldn’t ignore his drug problem.

Jeremy’s face softened at her words. He believed her, but he wasn’t ready to let go of his only source of relief for his emotional pain. He mumbled a quick, “Yeah, whatever,” then raced off to join the hunt for Vicki.

“Thank you,” Elena told Hazel gratefully. She knew her younger sister had just made a breakthrough, however small. Hazel smiled at her sister, then pulled her into a hug.

“He’s gonna be okay. It may take some time, but he’ll get better,” Hazel assured Elena. She could feel Elena nod against her shoulder. She pulled away. “Now, let’s go home.” Elena nodded again, and the two rose home in comfortable silence.

When they got home, they heard shuffling and muttering coming from upstairs. The sisters exchanged looks of confusion before going up to investigate.

“Jer?” Elena called, noticing the source of noise was Jeremy’s room.

“No, it’s me: the hypocrite patrol,” Jenna answered bitterly. Elena and Hazel entered the room, watching their aunt, who seemed to be searching for something.

“What are you doing?” Elena asked.

“I’ve become my worst nightmare. The authority figure who has to violate a 15-year-old's privacy,” she answered, before rummaging around in a shoe and pulling out a back of drugs. “Jackpot. I see the hiding places haven't gotten any more creative,” she commented.

“What brought this on?” Elena questioned.

“Your ass-hat of a history teacher shamed me good yesterday,” Jenna said with aggression towards Mr. Tanner.

“You got Tannered. Been there,” Elena said, slightly amused.

“‘Discover the impossible, Ms. Sommers.’ Got it. Thanks. Like I didn’t know I was screwing up,” Jenna said fiercely.

“You’re not screwing up, Aunt Jenna,” Elena was quick to comfort the woman. Hazel nodded.

“Yes, I am,” Jenna insisted. “You know why? Because I'm not her. She made everything look so easy. You know, high school, marriage, having you. I can't do it. I'm gonna say or do the wrong thing, and he's gonna get worse, and it's gonna be my fault. It's impossible,” Jenna finished miserably.

“Aunt Jenna, you are quite possibly the bravest woman I know. Taking three teenagers on in the first place is something most people couldn’t handle. And yet, here you are, the cool aunt turned cool guardian. You may think you’re screwing up, but you’re doing better than anyone could have expected. You’re afraid, and that’s okay. Elena and I are too. But we can’t let the fear get the best of us. We’ll get through this, Aunt Jenna. It’ll be okay,” Hazel encouraged Jenna.

“Hazel’s right. This is just the fear talking. And we’re all scared. But we’ll be alright eventually,” Elena added, smiling at her sister. “Now, I have to go do something.”

Elena left to go talk to Stefan, and Jenna and Hazel went to bed.

 

~

 

Caroline was making out with Damon in her room. Suddenly, veins crawled their way to the surface underneath his blood red eyes. Screams echoed through the house, covering the sound of teeth tearing into soft flesh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you like the story so far! If you have suggestions or constructive criticism, please comment!


	5. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first part of Friday Night Bites. The chapter was getting too long, so I decided to split it up. Also, if Hazel's outfit is important, it will be described in the story. The sets are really for the sake of visualization.
> 
> School and cheer outfits: http://www.polyvore.com/school_cheer_practice/set?id=224454537   
> Dinner party outfit: https://www.polyvore.com/dinner_party/set?id=224631089

It was Friday, and Hazel was talking with Bonnie and Elena before school.

“I’m not saying don’t date the guy. I’m just saying take it slow,” Bonnie advised Elena. She seemed wary of Stefan, maybe even untrusting towards him.

“You were the one who said to go for it,” Elena pointed out.

“Now I’m saying take it slow,” Bonnie replied.

“But why?” Hazel asked.

Bonnie scrambled for an excuse. “You’re single for the first time in your entire high school career,” she told Elena. “It’s the perfect time to play the field.”

“Oh, because I’m so that girl,” Elena said sarcastically. “Seriously, what are you not saying?”

“It’s stupid,” Bonnie muttered.

“Bonnie…” Hazel said expectantly.

“What?” Bonnie feigned ignorance.

“Spit it out,” Elena demanded, exasperated.

Bonnie reluctantly gave in. “I accidentally touched Stefan. And I got a really bad feeling.”

“Is that it? Bonnie,” Elena didn’t understand.

“It was _bad_ bad!” Bonnie defended.

“Maybe you’re getting some sort of psychic read on him,” Hazel tried to come to Bonnie’s rescue.

“You know what? I’m just concerned,” Bonnie said, but she didn’t seem sure of herself. “This is me expressing concern about my best friend’s new boyfriend.”

“And I love you for it, I do. But I feel good. It’s been a hard year, and I’m starting to kind of feel like things are getting back to normal again. And you know what? Stefan is a big part of that,” Elena explained.

Bonnie and Hazel smiled. They were ready for Elena to be happy again. She deserved it after everything she went through. Bonnie still wasn’t sold on Stefan, but she was glad in the meantime that things were looking up.

“Speak of the devil,” Hazel muttered when she noticed Stefan approaching the girls.

“Good morning, Elena. Good morning, Bonnie. Hazel,” Stefan greeted politely.

Bonnie’s expression instantly turned guarded. “Hey, um, I gotta find Caroline. She’s not answering her phone. So I’ll see you guys later,” she excused herself and hastily left.

“I’m just gonna, um… yeah,” Hazel said awkwardly. She gave Stefan a tight smile before following after Bonnie.

“They don’t like me very much,” Stefan noted.

“They just don’t know you. Hazel’s like that with anyone she’s not comfortable around, and Bonnie’s my best friend. She’s just looking out for me. But when they do, know you, that is, they will love you,” Elena assured him confidently. “Here’s what we’re going to do. Are you free tonight?” 

“Yes,” Stefan answered, confused.

“Perfect. Dinner, my house, 8:00. You, me, Bonnie, and Hazel. We’ll spend some quality time and they’ll get to see what a great guy you are. Mission accomplished,” Elena finished brightly.

~

The school day passed, and cheerleaders and football players gathered for their respective practices. Hazel and Elena joined Bonnie after changing.

“Oh, my god! You guys are here!” Bonnie exclaimed in disbelief.

“Yeah, well, I’m testing my body’s functionality. I did really well in physical therapy, so I can participate in cheer practice until it gets to be too much of a strain,” Hazel explained.

“Yep. And I’m here because I can’t be sad girl forever. The only way to get things back to the way they were is to do things that were,” Elena said confusingly. “Oh, and you’re coming to dinner tonight,” she added.

“I am?” Bonnie asked with interest.

“Mm-hmm. You, me, Hazel, and Stefan. You guys have to give him a chance,” Elena elaborated.

Bonnie’s face fell. “Tonight’s no good,” she quickly made an excuse. “Have you seen Caroline? I texted her like a hundred times.”

“Don’t change the subject, Bonnie Bennett! You’re going to be there,” Elena insisted.

“Fine, I’ll go,” Bonnie surrendered.

“Good,” Elena said.

“But Elena,” Hazel whined, quickly thinking of a way to get out of dinner. “I’ll give you guys my blessing if I don’t have to be there tonight,” she bribed. She didn’t want any part in the awkward event.

“Hazel, you at least have to get to know him,” Elena pleaded.

Hazel sighed in resignation. “Fine,” she muttered. Elena smiled victoriously.

“Seriously, where is Caroline?” Bonnie asked. 

“Yeah, it isn’t like her to be late to her own practice,” Hazel said. Elena nodded.

“I’ll try her again,” Bonnie declared, but before she could, Caroline and Damon rolled up in his car. She leaned over to kiss him.

“Uh,” Elena said, dumbfounded.

“Oh, my god, that must be the mystery guy from the Grill,” Bonnie concluded.

“That’s not a mystery guy. That’s Damon Salvatore,” Elena said with distaste.

“Salvatore, as in, Stefan?!” Bonnie asked, shocked.

Caroline strutted up to the three before anyone could reply. “I got the other brother. Hope you don’t mind,” she addressed Elena smugly. She turned to the squad. “Sorry I’m late, girls. I, uh, was busy. Alright, let’s start with the double pike herkey hurdler, what do you say?” The girls briskly got into formation, and Caroline started counting.

Hazel glanced over at Damon again to find him looking straight at her with a smirk. He waved his fingers at her, then mockingly blew her a kiss. She rolled her eyes and glared at him for a second before turning her attention to the jump sequence.

Hazel was flexible, but she hadn’t exercised it in a while. Her jumps were shaky and slightly behind tempo.

Caroline called her out. “Hazel, sweetie, why don’t you just observe today? You too, Elena,” she said in an overly sugary voice. Hazel and Elena complied, walking away from the herd of girls.

Hazel was extremely annoyed with Caroline’s bitchy attitude. She would freely admit that she was quite rusty, but she couldn’t get better unless she practiced. Elena, on the other hand, was mentally out of it and thankful for the excuse to wander away. She (predictably) went to watch Stefan at football practice. Hazel looked around for something to do, because Caroline could not seriously expect her to “observe”, and noticed that Damon was still there.

Hazel paused, weighing her options. She could talk to the devil, or be bored out of her mind. _The devil it is_ , she sighed to herself. She adjusted her ponytail and squared her shoulders before confidently walking over to a still-smirking Damon.

“So, you got nothing better to do than stare at cheerleaders like a creep?” Hazel asked, leaning over the passenger side door of the convertible.

“What, no nicknames this time?” Damon challenged.

“Well, right now you’re kind of a Peeping Tom,” she pointed out. “But I can think of some four letter words to describe you if you’d like,” she added, hinting at profanity.

Damon’s smirk grew. “Honey, if you wanted to call me sexy, you could have just said so,” he said.

Hazel rolled her eyes. “So are you going to tell me why Caroline was absent all day, then suddenly showed up with you?” she asked, wondering at how he would answer.

“We’re dating. Something it would appear you know nothing about,” Damon jabbed. 

Hazel was determined not to let him get under her skin, but that stung. He was right. She didn’t know anything about being in a relationship, because she had no experience in the field. Her expression only faltered for a second before she replied, but Damon noticed. He wondered if he had found a sore spot.

“I know that I wouldn’t want to date someone like you,” she said. Her tone was playful, as it had been, but there was an underlying note of bitterness.

Damon put the pieces together. “You really haven’t ever dated, have you?” he asked. He didn’t meant to be hurtful, he was just surprised. Never would he have guessed that Hazel had never had a boyfriend.

Hazel looked away, which was an answer in and of itself. Damon instantly regretted his jab. He had correctly assumed she was resilient, but he treated her like she was emotionally invincible. Only now did Damon realize his mistake. 

“Get in,” he invited, but it sounded like an order. Hazel looked back at him warily, her eyes filled with distrust. “Come on, I’m not gonna hurt you, just get in the car,” he said, trying to reason with her.

Hazel briefly considered his invitation before deciding she didn’t care what she had to lose. She got in the car.

“If you’re taking me somewhere, I have to be back before 5:30. That’s when practice is over,” she instructed, looking at the clock in the car to see that it was currently 4:00.

“Yes ma’am,” Damon mocked her, but he was smiling, glad she took a chance on him.

The two rode with music blasting. Hazel was nervous, but also excited. She could feel her heart beating just as she could feel the wind whip through her hair. The ride was exhilarating, and it reminded Hazel of Damon himself. He was dangerous, but being around him was invigorating.

Hazel was almost upset when they arrived at their destination: the Grill.

“Now wait here for just a moment,” Damon ordered. Hazel obliged, confused. Damon came around to her side of the car, and opened her door the way a gentleman would. 

Hazel laughed. “Mr. Salvatore, I never took you for a gentleman,” she teased.

“Well, if you stick around, you may find that I can be quite chivalrous when I want to be,” he replied.

The two walked inside and sat opposite of each other in a booth. The Grill was almost completely empty.

“So, why did you bring me here, Damon?” Hazel asked curiously.

“Ah ah ah,” Damon wagged a finger. “I have to order first.” Hazel rolled her eyes but contented herself with waiting until a server had come to take his order. “We’ll have two hot fudge sundaes, thank you,” he told the girl.

Damon watched the girl walk away, then turned his attention back to Hazel. “You know you could have a boyfriend, if you wanted to,” he said before Hazel could say anything.

“W-what?” she sputtered out, taken completely by surprise.

“Yeah, a girl like you. You’ve got the looks, the personality, the whole nine yards,” he said nonchalantly. Hazel blushed a fierce shade of red. “What?” Damon asked, confused at her flustered reaction.

“I, um… That’s probably the closest anyone’s ever come to actually flirting with me,” Hazel answered truthfully, then quickly regained her posture. “Better be careful, Caroline’s the jealous type,” she joked.

He looked at her like she had grown another head. “No one’s ever flirted with you?” he asked incredulously. 

“Nope,” she laughed it off. “But I’m sure you can see why, considering Elena.” Hazel made sure to keep her tone light and unconcerned. “I get lost in the shadow of her beauty. The guys don’t even notice me after they see her. Hell, _you_ barely noticed me the day we met.” She stated the facts with a cool she didn’t really possess.

Damon’s face shifted, and Hazel thought she could see guilt shining in his eyes. She was right, of course. He had only been concerned with Elena. Hazel looked down at her nails, picking away at the already extremely chipped polish in a composed and uncaring manner. She _would not _show him how upset she was about this.__

__The server girl came back over with their sundaes, and Hazel gave a polite “thank you” before digging in. “So, you and Caroline, huh?” Hazel asked, desperate to change the subject._ _

__“Yeah,” Damon answered, but his mind seemed to be elsewhere._ _

__“Damon,” Hazel tried to get his full attention. Damon snapped back into the present, and Hazel looked at him, confused. “What were you thinking about?”_ _

__Damon’s face slipped back into his signature smirk. “Nothing to worry your pretty little head about,” he said smoothly._ _

__Hazel rolled her eyes. “That only worries me more,” she countered._ _

__Damon winked at her, and the two fell into a comfortable silence, eating their ice cream in peace. Well, except for when Damon reached over and stole a spoonful from Hazel’s bowl. They battled it out with their spoons until Hazel stole a spoonful of his ice cream and declared them even._ _

__When they were done, their server brought the check, and Damon paid. Hazel smiled to herself. He could have compelled his way to free food, but he decided to genuinely pay this time._ _

__“What are you smiling about?” Damon asked, a confused smile on his own lips._ _

__“Nothing to worry your pretty little head about,” she retorted with a smug grin._ _

__He laughed at her use of his words against him. “I have to give you credit for that,” he admitted._ _

__“Why, thank you,” Hazel laughed back. “Hey, can I see your phone?”_ _

__Damon pulled out his phone and gave it to her along with a puzzled look. Hazel pressed the button. It was 5:00. It wouldn’t take long to get back to school, but Hazel wanted to go ahead and leave, just in case._ _

__“Let’s get going,” she suggested, handing his phone back._ _

__They drove back the way they had come: blasting music and just-for-fun detours. They arrived back at 5:20, and from the looks of it, no one had noticed their absence._ _

__“Hey, Damon?” Hazel started, unbuckling her seatbelt._ _

__“Yes, Hazel?” he replied._ _

__“I had a lot of fun, but can we not tarnish the memories? Don’t bring this up just to spite your brother or make Caroline jealous. Or worry my sister. Let’s just… keep this to ourselves? I mean, you don’t have to hide it, just… don’t bring it up if you don’t have to. Please?” she practically begged him. Knowing Damon, he’d probably use their outing to get under someone’s skin._ _

__He smirked back at her, but he was secretly hurt that she thought he would do something like that. He would, of course, and had actually been picturing Stefan’s face when he broke the news of their little “outing”, but he didn’t like her calling him out on it. “Only if you promise that we can do something like this again,” he bargained._ _

__She pretended to think about it. “Well,” she sighed. “If I don’t have a choice… then yes.” She smiled at him before leaving him to stare after her, replaying their conversations in his mind._ _

__Hazel hung out until cheer practice was over, then she and Elena hurried home. Elena was excited and cautiously optimistic about the dinner party they had planned, and she wanted everything to be perfect. Hazel was less excited, but got ready without complaint._ _

__After her shower, Hazel dressed in a lightweight hoodie, leggings, and socks. If she was going to be emotionally and mentally uncomfortable, she could at least be physically comfy. She slipped on earrings and a ring to slightly dress up her ensemble, then tied her hair up in a messy bun._ _

__When Hazel met Elena in the kitchen, she stared at her outfit before making a face. “Really, Hazel? That’s what you’re wearing for dinner?” she asked in disapproval. “You could at least wear something a _little_ nicer.”_ _

__“Well, I can either wear this to your little dinner party, or I can wear it to my room and stay there for the rest of the night,” Hazel replied with a raised brow and a smile._ _

__“Okay, okay,” Elena surrendered, smiling back at her. “I just really want this to go well,” she stressed._ _

__“Relax, Elena. I’ll be on my best behavior,” Hazel joked, earning a short laugh from Elena. The doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” Hazel practically screamed._ _

__She answered the door to see Bonnie, as she expected. “Hey, come on in,” Hazel said brightly. “Elena is stressing a little, so can you at least give Stefan a chance? Please?” Hazel pleaded._ _

__Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she smiled. “I’ll give him a chance.”_ _

__Hazel clapped her hands excitedly. They joined Elena in the kitchen, and Bonnie starts talking about how she might be psychic._ _

__“You explain it,” she started. “Last night, I'm watching Nine-o, a commercial breaks come on and I'm like, I bet it's that phone commercial. And sure enough, it's that guy and the girl with the bench, he flies to Paris and he flies back. They take a picture.”_ _

__“Oh, come on. That commercial’s on a constant loop,” Elena dismissed._ _

__“Fine. Well, how about this? Today I'm obsessed with numbers. 3 numbers. I keep seeing 8, 14, and 22. How weird is that?” Bonnie was waiting for someone to agree that that was weird._ _

__“Maybe we should play the lottery,” Elena joked. “Have you talked to your Grams?”_ _

__“She’s just gonna say it’s because I’m a witch. I don’t want to be a witch. Do you want to be a witch?” Bonnie asked._ _

__“I don’t want to be a witch,” Elena said._ _

__“I don’t know. Could be fun,” Hazel mused._ _

__Elena poured to-go food into serving bowls. “And putting it in a nice bowl isn’t fooling anybody,” Bonnie added. Elena gave her a pointed look._ _

__“Okay, serving spoons… Where are the serving spoons?” Elena wondered aloud._ _

__“Middle drawer on your left,” Bonnie answered immediately, with complete confidence._ _

__Elena opened the drawer, and sure enough, there they were. “Okay, so you’ve been in this kitchen like a thousand times,” she rationalized._ _

__“Yeah, that’s it,” Bonnie agreed, but she didn’t sound convinced._ _

__The doorbell rang. “Okay, he’s here. Don’t be nervous. Just be your normal, loving selves,” Elena said quietly, but Hazel couldn’t tell who Elena was addressing. Elena went to answer the door._ _

__“Birthday candles,” Bonnie muttered, before opening a drawer. She pulled out a pack of birthday candles and held them up so Hazel could see. Bonnie looked scared._ _

__“Hey, Bonnie. Maybe there is something to this witch thing. But it won’t change our friendship, and it won’t change your friendship with Elena. If it turns out that you’re magical, we’ll believe you, and love you no matter what,” Hazel reassured the older girl. Bonnie nodded, and smiled gratefully._ _

__Elena, Stefan, Bonnie, and Hazel sat down around the table and began to eat. The silence was stifling._ _

__“Did Tanner give you a hard time today?” Elena addressed Stefan._ _

__“Well, he let me on the team, so I must’ve done something right,” Stefan replied._ _

__“Bonnie, you should have seen Stefan today. Tyler threw a ball right at him, and-”_ _

__“Yeah, I heard,” Bonnie cut her off coldly. Hazel nudged her leg under the table._ _

__“Well I didn’t. What happened?” Hazel asked curiously, spurring on the conversation._ _

__“Well, Tyler threw a ball right at him, and he turned around and caught it right before it hit him. And when he threw it back, Tyler stumbled from how much power was behind it,” Elena explained, with excitement._ _

__Hazel smiled at the story. “Don’t mind Tyler. He’s a jerk,” Hazel told Stefan. He smiled, and Elena shot Hazel a grateful expression._ _

__They were on the brink of awkward silence before Elena rescued them. “Why don’t you tell Stefan about your family?” Elena nudged Bonnie._ _

__Bonnie was about to give a smartass answer, but she made eye contact with Hazel and sighed. “My family has a lineage of witches,” she said._ _

__“Really? That is certainly interesting. I’m not too versed, but I do know that there’s a history of Celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800s,” Stefan responded._ _

__“My family came by way of Salem,” Bonnie clarified._ _

__“Really? Salem witches?” Stefan asked in awe._ _

__“Yeah,” Bonnie said, slightly embarrassed._ _

__“I would say that’s pretty cool,” Stefan declared._ _

__“Really? Why?” Bonnie questioned._ _

__“Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity,” Stefan told her._ _

__“Yeah, they are,” Bonnie agreed, smiling. Elena smiled, thinking that they may have made a breakthrough._ _

__The doorbell rang, and Hazel nearly jumped out of her seat. “I’ll get it!” she yelled, already running to the door._ _

__Hazel wanted to avoid the awkwardness that she knew was coming, so she barely opened the door before saying, “Look, we really appreciate it, but we’re satisfied with the state of our souls and where we’ll go when we die, so may your god bless you, but we’re good.” She then slammed the door shut, leaving Caroline and Damon to stare at each other in extreme confusion._ _

__Hazel returned to the table. “It was just those religious people who go door to door,” she explained._ _

__Unfortunately, she forgot to lock the door, which she only realized when she heard Caroline say, “Hazel? What was that?”_ _

__Hazel cringed, but hurried back to the door. Caroline was standing in the entryway, and Damon was still standing just outside. Caroline handed Hazel a cake. “Surprise! Bonnie said that you were doing dinner, so we brought dessert,” she said brightly._ _

__“Hope you don’t mind,” Damon added. Hazel shot him an exasperated look._ _

__“That’s great and all, but we were just finishing up, so you can even take the cake back, but-”_ _

__“Caroline? Damon?” Elena asked. Hazel sighed._ _

__“What are you doing here?” Stefan addressed Damon coldly._ _

__“Waiting for Elena or Hazel to invite me in,” he answered, glancing at Hazel for help._ _

__“Well, as long as you’re not a vampire, by all means, come in,” Hazel said dryly. She couldn’t help it. Stefan and Damon both looked at her. “What?” she feigned ignorance._ _

__“You can’t, uh, you can’t stay, can you Damon?” Stefan tried to get rid of him._ _

__“Get in here!” Caroline cried impatiently, sending a rush of annoyance through Hazel._ _

__“We’re just finishing up,” Stefan tried again._ _

__“Yeah, and I think I might be coming down with something, so now’s not really a good time,” Hazel contributed._ _

__“Hazel!” Elena reprimanded. “It’s fine. Just come on in.”_ _

__Damon entered and sent a smug smile to Stefan. Elena took the cake from Hazel and headed back to the kitchen to dish it. Bonnie and Caroline followed, leaving Hazel in the entryway with the Salvatores._ _

__“You have a beautiful home, Hazel,” Damon said as he walked past her. She rolled her eyes at him._ _

__The group rejoined in the living room, Damon and Caroline sharing an armchair, Bonnie sitting in the armchair opposite, Stefan and Elena sharing a couch, and Hazel sitting cross-legged on the floor across from the couch._ _

__“I cannot _believe_ that Mr. Tanner let you on the team. Tyler must be _seething_. But good for you. Go for it,” Caroline rambled on._ _

__“That’s what I always tell him. You have to engage. You can’t just sit there and wait for life to come to you. You have to go get it,” Damon probably tried his best to sound serious, but Hazel still rolled her eyes at how sarcastic it came out._ _

__“Yeah, Elena and Hazel weren’t so lucky today. It’s only because you missed summer camp. God, I don’t know how you’re _ever_ going to learn the routines,” Caroline added unnecessarily._ _

__“I’ll work with them. They’ll get it,” Bonnie said quickly, noticing that Elena was trying to hide an upset expression, and Hazel was sitting rigidly._ _

__“I guess we can put them in the back,” Caroline thought out loud, and Hazel almost told her off, but Damon spoke up before she could._ _

__“You know, you two don’t seem like the cheerleader type,” he commented, causing Hazel to roll her eyes again. Of course he would buy into typical stereotypes._ _

__“Oh, it’s just because their parents died. Yeah, I mean, Elena’s totally going through a blah phase. She used to be way more fun. And Hazel was never really the cheerleader type. I mean, everyone knows she only tried out to spite me. She doesn’t actually like it, anyway,” Caroline said, oblivious to the cruelty of her words until after they left her mouth. “And I say that with complete sensitivity,” she added quietly in an apologetic tone, as if that made up for what she said._ _

__Hazel stood up abruptly. “You know, maybe I would like it, if it wasn’t for you, the textbook definition of a stereotypical cheerleader: a blonde bitch,” she said hotly before retrieving everyone’s dishes and retreating to the kitchen. Caroline watched her leave, appalled, with her jaw dropped. Everyone else watched with silent surprise._ _

__Hazel could feel their gazes, and sense the shock in the air. That was probably the first time they had seen her let her temper get the best of her since the coma. Hazel couldn’t help it, though. Caroline _was_ being a bitch, and someone needed to put her scrawny ass back in its place._ _

__Hazel put the dishes in the sink, then turned around and all but collapsed on the counter, her forearms holding her up. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. She already regretted her words, but she couldn’t let Caroline get away with speaking about Elena like that. She heard the conversation start up again, and could imagine that Damon was probably bringing up Katherine right about now._ _

__Hazel sighed and opened her eyes, staring blankly in front of her. She was trying to figure out an appropriate apology for calling Caroline a bitch, but she was also trying to find a way to properly reprimand Caroline for her words. She was contemplating just not apologizing when Damon’s voice startled her out of her thoughts._ _

__“One more,” he said, holding a glass._ _

__Hazel went to take it, but it slipped before she could grab it. She closed her eyes in resignation, and opened them to see that Damon had caught the glass._ _

__“Nice save,” she said wearily._ _

__Damon frowned at her voice for a moment before saying, “I like you. You’re fun. And you’ve got a sort of… _fire_.” He made an explosion gesture._ _

__Hazel giggled, before remembering. “Did I hear you bring up Katherine again?” she asked seriously._ _

__Damon paused. “Yes,” he said, acutely aware that Hazel would be displeased._ _

__Hazel ran her hand over her face. She had run out of anger. “Well, if you insist on speaking of this woman, at least tell me what she was like.”_ _

__Damon half-smiled, recalling fond memories. “She was beautiful. A lot like you in that department,” he winked at her._ _

__She rolled her eyes. “Probably more like Elena,” she muttered, and pretended not to notice his guilty glance. “Continue,” she said._ _

__“She was also very complicated and selfish and at times not very kind, but very sexy and seductive,” he continued with a faraway look in his eyes. Hazel rolled her eyes._ _

__“So,” Hazel started, “which one of you dated her first?”_ _

__“Nicely deduced. Ask Stefan. I’m sure his answer differs from mine. I’d quit cheerleading if I were you or Elena.”_ _

__“Oh, so we should quit? Why do you say that?” Hazel challenged playfully._ _

__“Oh, Elena looked _miserable_ at practice. And as for you… well, you skipped out to go on an outing with a devilishly handsome man,” he smirked._ _

__“Devilish? Yes. Handsome? Meh,” she said playfully. “But I think you’re right. Elena doesn’t enjoy it anymore, I can tell, and I don’t think I’m physically ready after my Sleeping Beauty spell.”_ _

__“You mean your coma?” he asked hesitantly._ _

__“Yeah. Three and a half months of my life that I’ll never get back, wasted away while I slept. Not to get all maudlin,” she added quickly._ _

__“I’m sorry,” he stated simply, and it sounded genuine._ _

__“It’s fine,” Hazel said, desperate to change the subject. “I’m sorry too.” Damon gave her a bewildered look, so she elaborated. “About Katherine,” she said, and decided to leave it at that. She was sorry for a lot of things related to Katherine. How she played the Salvatores, how she turned them, how she faked her death, how she didn’t tell them, how she was going to come back to Mystic Falls and ruin everyone’s lives (deaths?) _again_.  
Damon’s face softened, and Hazel could see surprise through the pain in his eyes. He was caught off guard by the sincerity of her apology, and something else… almost like a sort of _knowing_. Damon quickly schooled his features as Elena and Bonnie entered the kitchen, offering help with the dishes._ _

__“Um, sure, I guess,” Hazel responds. Damon discreetly slips out of the kitchen and back into the living room. “Actually, Elena, is it okay if I just head up to bed?” she asked tiredly._ _

__“Yeah, sure,” Elena answered. Hazel flashed her a thankful smile before tiptoeing down the hall towards the stairs. She stopped at the entrance to the living room to hear Stefan speaking to Damon, Caroline having been sent to the kitchen._ _

__“Alright, you’ve had your fun. You used Caroline, you got to meet Elena and Hazel, good for you. Now it’s time for you to go,” Stefan said._ _

__“That’s not a problem,” Damon replied easily. “Because I’ve been invited in, and I’ll come back tomorrow night and the following night, and I’ll do with the little cheerleaders whatever I want to do. Because that is what is normal to me.”_ _

__Hazel kept a level head, and snuck up the stairs. Damon and Stefan were too caught up in their argument to notice._ _

__Hazel knew that Damon was like this, so she forced herself to ignore the tiny prick of hurt in her chest. It seemed that his focus had broadened from just Elena to include herself as well. She would have to be extra careful if he also wanted to use her to get to Stefan. She thought about this as she got ready for bed._ _

__~_ _

__Bonnie, Caroline, Stefan, and Damon had left the Gilbert house a few hours ago. Damon was visiting again, this time covertly entering Hazel’s room to find her asleep._ _

__He sat on the edge of her bed and looked at her still form, taking in how peaceful and delicate she appeared. He reached his hand out to her face and gently stroke it, smiling at her soft skin. He stayed that way for a few minutes, staring at her, before remembering what he had come to do. He was about to enter her mind when Hazel spoke, startling Damon._ _

__“Not again,” she mumbled, and he only calmed down when he realized she was just sleep-talking. “Coma?” she whispered, and Damon immediately took interest. What was Hazel dreaming about?_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I think I might have actually found an explanation for Hazel's little conundrum, and I'm very excited. I'm not sure if Hazel should confess in part in the next chapter, or wait until later... Do I really want antagonist Damon knowing any of her secrets? Hmm... If you guys have suggestions, hit me up!


	6. Dreamality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of Friday Night Bites!  
> Football Game Outfit: https://www.polyvore.com/football_game/set?id=224670810  
> PJs (just 'cause): https://www.polyvore.com/pajamas/set?id=224758522

Hazel woke up and immediately rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Not again,” she groaned. She was in a hospital room, _again_ , only this one was different than the last one. She got out of bed, stumbling when the blood suddenly rushed to her head, and looked around for any kind of explanation. When she found none, she opened her door and looked down the hallway. A passing nurse noticed the patient peeking out, and stopped dead in her tracks.

“Hazel,” she breathed. “Hazel Grayson, you’re awake,” she noted, astonished. Hazel’s brow furrowed. Awake?

The nurse quickly regained her composure. “Hazel, you’ve been in a coma for three weeks,” she stated with professional sympathy.

“Coma?” Hazel’s voice was barely audible. Then she realized that the nurse had called her by her real last name, Grayson. She was in reality. “I don’t understand,” she managed to utter.

“You were hit in the head with a wooden rifle, and it knocked you unconscious. You were asleep for three weeks,” the nurse carefully explained.

 _Three weeks?_ Hazel thought. _That can’t be right. Three weeks passed in my dream, too._

“What day is it?” she frantically asked.

“Friday the eleventh,” the nurse answered patiently.

“What time is it?” Hazel demanded.

The nurse checked her watch before replying, “10:12 PM.”

Hazel ran her hands through her hair. She had gone to bed in her dream at 10:00 on Friday the eleventh.

The nurse looked at her in worry. “I know this is a lot to take in,” she started. “Why don’t you go back to bed and calm down?”

Hazel wordlessly complied, closing her door and sitting down on her bed. Her mind was racing. Time in her dream had been parallel to time in reality. Hazel, clueless about what was normal for coma patients, was left wondering about her dream experience.

~

Hazel had stopped talking, and was now lying deathly still as Damon looked on. He decided to indulge his curiosity and entered her dream.

~

Hazel was pulled out of her reverie by the opening of her door. She sighed, having no desire to talk to the nurse again. But she nearly choked when she saw Damon peering at her with unadulterated curiosity. He entered the room and closed the door.

 

“No,” Hazel said. “No, you can’t be here. If you’re here… ” Hazel trailed off with growing panic.

“Why can’t I be here? It’s not visiting hours?” Damon joked.

“This is just a dream. It has to be. You’re not real. This isn’t real,” Hazel said, slowly calming down as she assured herself. She was still wary, but she realized that Damon must have entered her mind while she was sleeping in the Gilbert house, while she was actually sleeping in the Grayson house. She almost laughed. A dream within a dream.

“Why can’t this be real?” Damon asked. She was right, of course, but Damon wanted to know why.

“Well,” she started uncertainly, but a sly smile grew on her lips when she realized what she was going to say. “Because I would never dream about you,” she said playfully.

Damon, naturally, took that as a challenge. “Oh really?” he asked, a devious glint in his eye as he approached her. “You wouldn’t dream about this?”He suddenly pushed her back so that she was lying on the bed, Damon lying over her. Hazel’s heartbeat sped up so much she thought it would pound right out of her chest. She stared into his eyes, which gleamed with provocation. 

“Never,” she whispered, her own eyes dancing daringly.

“What about this?” he murmured seductively, before leaning in and kissing her deeply.

Hazel froze. Her mind screamed at her that this was a bad idea, but she quickly dismissed the mental warning, thinking to herself, _It’s just a dream_. 

She melted into the kiss, savoring the feeling of his lips on hers. Damon finally pulled away, and Hazel gazed at him breathlessly. His enchanting blue eyes were filled with longing.

Damon looked down at Hazel, wishing that this wasn’t just a dream. He had expected disgust, loathing, and detestation, yet she had willingly returned the kiss with a sweet passion he had never felt before. He found himself filled with an unholy desire and quickly backed away from Hazel.

Hazel’s face flashed with hurt and embarrassment. Of course he would back away. She had no experience in the field of kissing. She had probably drooled everywhere or something equally humiliating. Hazel sat up and looked down, letting her hair fall like a curtain and hide her features, which were overcome with shame and mortification.

Damon mentally kicked himself when he understood what his actions must have looked like to Hazel. But he was too ashamed with the reason he had backed off to explain. Instead, he found himself slipping out of her mind.

He stared at her form a moment longer before lightly kissing her forehead and leaving.

~

Hazel awoke, and she could have sworn that something touched her. As the dream came back to her, she mentally kicked herself. Of course. Damon had been in her room. She groaned out loud, remembering the kiss. Why did she have to make a fool out of herself? 

“At least it was just a dream,” Hazel muttered to herself. 

She didn’t want to go back to bed immediately, so she crept downstairs and made hot chocolate. With her mug in hand, she went back upstairs, grabbed her journal, and recorded the dream. She stayed up a little later before finally going back to bed, and falling into a (thankfully) dreamless sleep.

~

Hazel slept in since it was Saturday, and only got up when Elena bounded into her room excitedly.

“The football game is tonight!” Elena said excitedly, settling on the side of Hazel’s bed. “I have something to tell you,” she said, slightly more serious.

“What is it?” Hazel asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes as she sat up.

“I quit cheerleading,” Elena said, nervous of her sister’s response.

It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did, Hazel laughed. “Oh, Caroline’s going to be furious,” she said, making Elena smile. “Elena, if cheerleading doesn’t make you happy anymore and just seems like a burden, then I’m glad you’re quitting,” she continued. Elena abruptly leaned forward and hugged her sister.

“I knew you’d understand!” she exclaimed happily, before leaning back. “Are you going to cheer tonight?”

Hazel grimaced, remembering that she was also a cheerleader. “No, I can’t physically keep up. And really, I don’t want to devote so much time to regaining useless skills. Besides, it won’t be nearly as much fun without you… Well, that settles it. I’m quitting too,” Hazel proclaimed decisively.

Elena listened as Hazel thought it out, and smiled at her choice. “Well, if it just seems like a burden…” she said, repeating Hazel’s words, and the two broke into giggles.

“Hey, Elena,” Hazel said, suddenly remembering something. Elena looked at her expectantly. “I think I left my ring at Stefan’s house. Do you think you can text him and ask him to bring it to the game tonight?”

“Sure, I’ll ask him. By the way, thank you for being so well-behaved last night. For the most part,” Elena said, cracking a smile.

“Elena, I’m sorry, but she was being bitchy and I couldn’t take it. She insulted both of us, and no one else was going to put her in her place. I’ve already thought about how to apologize-”

“Hazel, it’s okay. Thank you for sticking up for the both of us,” Elena cut her off.

Hazel gave her a small smile, and Elena left the room so she could get ready.

~

Elena and Hazel happily rode to the stadium, and immediately found Stefan.

“Ooh, look at you. You look hot in your jersey,” Elena complimented her boyfriend.

“What happened? No more cheerleader?” Stefan questioned.

“I quit. I’m a quitter,” Elena said.

“Hey! If you’re a quitter that means I’m a quitter!” Hazel interjected.

“Oh, sorry, _we’re_ quitters,” Elena amended. 

“No, hey, you’re not quitters,” Stefan said. “You suffered a great loss. You’re not the same. You should be looking ahead. You should be starting over. Okay?” He hesitated before continuing. “I hope you don’t think this is too soon or weird, but… I, uh, wanted you to have this,” Stefan addressed Elena. He pulled out a box and opened it to reveal a locket. Elena carefully took it out and examined it.

“Oh my god, it’s beautiful,” Elena breathed.

“It’s something that I’ve had forever, and, uh, I’ve never wanted to give it to anyone until now. I’d very much like it if you’d wear it for me, for… good luck.”

“Is that rose I smell?” Elena asked.

“No, it’s, uh… it’s an herb. It’s nice, huh?” Stefan said. He didn’t miss Hazel’s stifled giggle and knowing smile, and he briefly wondered why she thought the situation amusing.

“I love it,” Elena declared, and motioned for Stefan to help her put it on. He happily obliged.

“And where’s my piece of jewelry?” Hazel asked teasingly. Stefan made an “oh, yeah” face before pulling her ring out of his pocket. “Thanks,” Hazel said as she took it and slid it on. She was fairly confident that Stefan had found the secret compartment and put vervain in it. 

Now that Hazel had her ring, she slipped away from the sappy couple to meander about until Tanner called everyone to gather. He was hyping everyone up for the game ahead, bragging on Stefan.  
Hazel wasn’t very interested in what he had to say. She boredly searched the faces in the crowd until she noticed Tyler weaving through the crowd towards the parking lot. Hazel cursed under her breath before following. She decided her best option was to engage Tyler in conversation before a drunk Jeremy had the chance to engage him in a fight.

She jogged up to him and spoke up. “Hey, Tyler!”

He stopped and looked down at the shorter girl. “Hey Hazel,” he greeted.

“Where ya going? Crazy Tanner is this way,” Hazel said cheerily, motioning to the wildly gesticulating teacher.

Tyler let out a short laugh. “I was getting tired of Mr. Crazy bragging on Stefan. I mean, he’s new. He shouldn’t even be starting!” he explained his frustration. 

Before Hazel could reply, he looked over her shoulder. “Is that Jeremy?” he asked, his voice now hard.

Hazel looked over her shoulder before turning back to Tyler. “No, Tyler, please,” she started, but he was already walking towards her twin.

Vicki was nearby, and approached Tyler, pleading, “Wait, no! Ty! No! Leave him alone!”

Tyler ignored her pleas and strutted up to Jeremy, who was obviously buzzed. “Oh, what do you care?” he spat at her, before turning to Jeremy. “Don’t look so down. You can have her when I’m done,” he taunted cruelly.

Jeremy threw a punch at Tyler’s face, and the two descended into a violent fight. Vicki screamed at Tyler to stop, but Hazel knew that wasn’t going to deter him from beating her brother to a pulp. She made a split second decision, and threw herself on top of Jeremy to look up at Tyler, her eyes blazing with determination.

Tyler barely stopped himself from accidentally punching Hazel, now that she was blocking Jeremy. He was surprised at the intensity of her gaze. “Hazel-” he started to tell her to move, but she interrupted him.

“If you want to hurt my brother, you’re gonna have to go through me,” she said, her voice sharp. “So go ahead, beat me to a bloody pulp.”

The venom-dripping challenge rang clearly through the air, but Jeremy roughly pushed her away, and Tyler went back to wailing on him.

Hazel hit her head on the bottom of the bed of a truck nearby before hitting the ground. Her vision swam and her thoughts were fuzzy. Her head throbbed, and she gave into the darkness at the edges of her vision.

~ 

Hazel woke up in the same hospital room from her dream-within-a-dream. Only this time, her parents were there.

“Oh my gosh, Hazel,” her mother cried. Her face was stained with tears.

“Hazel,” her father said in disbelief.

“What happened?” Hazel asked, confused.

“You’ve been in a coma,” her father explained softly.

Hazel swallowed. “How long?” Her voice was weak.

“Three weeks,” her mother sobbed.

“Did-” Hazel cleared her throat. “Did I get hit with a rifle?” she asked, fearful of the answer.

Her mother could only nod, and Hazel felt a weight settle in her stomach. Before she could fully process the meaning of it all, a doctor came in. He startled at the sight of her awake, and quickly checked her vitals. She seemed fine.

The doctor instructed her to rest, and ignored her feeble protests. Her parents told her that they loved her, and that was the last thing Hazel heard before the familiar hold of sleep took over once again.

~

Hazel awoke on the ground and her addled brain took a minute to bring her to full consciousness. She carefully sat up and looked at the scene before her. 

Tyler was gone. Elena and Stefan had come over, but had yet to notice her. At the moment, Elena was fussing over Stefan’s hand, which she could have sworn was cut when Jeremy swung a broken bottle. Stefan awkwardly waved her off and headed towards the game. Bonnie joined Elena and the two began to talk.

Hazel stood and brushed herself off. She needed to think, and she couldn’t do that here. She walked over to Elena and Bonnie, trying to think of an excuse to get away. She ran a hand through her hair, and an idea hit her.

“Hey, Elena, do you have a hairband?” Hazel asked, positive that her sister rarely carried hairbands around. Elena shook her head apologetically. Hazel turned questioningly to Bonnie, who did the same.

“There might be some in the car. Check the console,” Elena offered, holding out her keys. “And can you bring me my jacket, please?”

Hazel smiled, nodded, and thanked her before hurrying off to the car. She got in the passenger side, leaving the door open, and just sat for a moment.

Hazel tried to wrap her mind around what was going on, but she honestly didn’t know where to begin. She knew that the dream-within-a-dream couldn’t be real, because Damon had showed up. But then again, she woke up for real in the same room, already aware of the rifle incident. It didn’t make any sense. What was real?

Damon approached Hazel, who was sitting in a car with the door wide open, staring into space. Her expression was deeply troubled, and Damon wondered what the young girl could be thinking about that had her so worried.

“Boo,” Damon said.

Hazel inhaled sharply, nearly jumping out of her skin, her heart slamming against her ribcage. Her head snapped to the right, and her eyes met with a hysterically cackling Damon. She cursed under her breath.

“Jumpy, eh?” Damon managed to gasp out before another bout of laughter took over. Hazel glared at him as hard as she could. He almost gave her a heart attack. 

Damon finally got himself under control. “So, what had you so deep in thought, may I ask?”

“Have you ever heard of the brain in a vat philosophy concept?” Hazel blurted out, before she could think about what she was saying.

Damon blinked. “The what now?” he asked, completely thrown off guard.

“Nevermind,” Hazel said quickly. For once, she was thankful for his ignorance. “So, what brings you here? As in, the parking lot?” she changed the subject, standing up to lean against the car.

Damon leaned forward, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “I’m hiding from Caroline,” he confided. “She talks more than I can listen.”

Hazel rolled her eyes. “You decided to date her, so if you’re looking for pity, search elsewhere.”

“I’m sorry, I just thought that you would be a little more sympathetic, considering that whole dinner party deal,” he said, obviously not sorry at all.

Hazel blushed. “I shouldn’t have said what I did. And you shouldn’t trash talk your girlfriend behind her back,” she said, flustered.

“Duly noted,” Damon stated. “I’m sorry if I make you uncomfortable. That’s not my intention,” he said, trying to actually sound sorry, although it didn’t matter.

Hazel rolled her eyes again, making sure to over-exaggerate the gesture. “Damon, don’t lie to me. You’re doing your damnedest to make me uncomfortable. You put alternate meanings behind every other word that comes out of your pretty little mouth,” she scoffed.

Something shifted in Damon’s eyes. “You’re right. I have other intentions, but so do you,” he stated.

“I don’t know how many more times I can roll my eyes before you finally realize that I’m not buying your bullshit. But if you’re so sure, explain away,” Hazel challenged.

Damon smirked and walked right up to Hazel, staring into her eyes with a cold intensity. Hazel’s breath caught for a moment when she noticed how close they were. When he spoke, she could faintly feel his breath on her face.

“You want me,” he started with confidence. “I get to you.You find yourself drawn to me. You think about me even when you don’t want to think about me. I bet you even dreamed about me. And right now… You want to kiss me.”

Damon slowly leaned down, and Hazel internally panicked. She forcefully reached out and pushed him, putting space between them. Damon looked completely puzzled, and Hazel took a second to breathe and find the right words to say.

“Look, Damon,” she started, uncertain. “If this is some way to make me feel better after our talk yesterday, just stop. Just because I let you in on the details of my love life, or lack thereof, doesn’t mean you’re invited to be a part of it. I appreciate it, but just… don’t.” 

Hazel got the heck out of there, leaving behind a confused and somewhat hurt Damon.

Hazel was, against all reason, upset. She thought that she had come to a sort of understanding with Damon, and yet he still tried to use her. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, it stung a little. She had opened up a little, but he still considered her a tool. She should’ve known better. He wasn’t a good person - at least, not yet.

She made her way to the game, knowing that she would go home soon anyway.

Elena took Hazel and Jeremy home shortly after the police arrived to investigate the death of Mr. Tanner. Hazel’s emotional state was in turmoil. She hadn’t spoken at all since her encounter with Damon. Everything was weighing so heavily on her mind. She had almost told Damon her secret, Damon had used her, and she still had no way of telling fantasy from reality. Although she was utterly exhausted, Hazel didn’t get much rest that night.

~

Damon gazed upon the sleeping form of Hazel, his mind a swirling mess. He reached down to caress her face, relishing the feel of her soft skin. She stirred, and he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I actually updated, even if it did take a while! I decided that Damon was still too interested in his end game to do anything other than use Hazel, so he still doesn't know about her ~secret~. Please, hit me up with suggestions if you've got any. Or feedback. Thanks for reading!


	7. Founder's Party

A/N: Okay, so first of all, I made a small mistake that I intend to fix. I insinuated that Hazel did not have Mr. Tanner at all, since she's a sophomore, but I recently remembered that Jeremy still had him, he just wasn't in Elena's class period. I changed that, since these minute details could potentially become important at some point (wink, wink). Second of all, enjoy!

 

Hazel spent the next week in a daze. She spoke only when necessary, too caught up in her mental whirlwind to pay attention to trivial small talk. Her thoughts ping-ponged back and forth between fact and fiction, leaving little time for eating and sleeping.

Jenna and Elena grew increasingly concerned for Hazel’s well-being. Bonnie and Caroline brushed it off at first, but even they were beginning to worry. Stefan and Damon separately wondered what had caused her to become a hermit. At one point, Stefan confronted Damon, demanding that he reverse whatever he did to her, to which Damon responded with more truth than he had spoken in a century: he didn’t do it, and he didn’t know who or what did.

Hazel, in the midst of her deep thinking, knew that others were worried about her, and she recognized that she was forming unhealthy habits. The problem was, she just couldn’t bring herself to care. What was the point? Why should she trouble herself with the feelings of fictitious beings? None of it mattered, not in reality anyway. Reality. She wanted to go back there. At least there, she knew that her life was real. Actually, factually, real.

Even that distant memory of truth seemed tainted by her new surreal experience.

~

A knock on Hazel’s door broke her out of her downward spiral of misery. She ignored it until Elena spoke.

“Hey, Hazel. Can I come in?” she asked carefully, not wanting to push Hazel any further.

Hazel sighed, before fixing a slight semblance of a smile on her face. “Sure,” she called nonchalantly.

Elena hesitantly opened the door and entered. “So, the Founder’s Party is in a few days,” she began.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I was just reminding you.” Elena paused before continuing. “You should go. It’ll be fun,” she ventured.

“I don’t have a dress,” Hazel dismissed the idea.

“Maybe I can help with that,” Elena said, holding up her car keys. Against all odds, Hazel felt her fake smile grow just a bit genuine. She loved the idea of getting all dressed up, every once in a while of course.

Hazel debated the matter over. If she was telling the truth, she had made no progress during her week-long brainstorm. “Okay,” she resigned after a minute.

Hazel and Elena returned to the house with a dress, shoes, and all the necessary accessories. For once, Elena seemed to know not to press her luck, and Hazel was grateful that she wasn’t interrogated. In fact, she kind of had fun. She resolved to call Bonnie later to see if they could hang out together at the party. (Bonnie very enthusiastically accepted.)

In the days leading up to the Founder’s Party, Hazel decided that yes, she was in a fake world. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t have real fun. _Perhaps reality is relative_ , she pondered.

~

Hazel was in the kitchen, snacking mindlessly, when the doorbell rang. She went to answer it, but Jeremy got there first. He barely opened the door before immediately trying to close it. The visitor, however, caught it in time.

“I’m here for my mom. I was supposed to pick up a box of stuff.” Hazel recognized the voice as Tyler’s.

“Right here,” Elena called as she bustled to the door, handing him a weighty box. “Please, be careful.”

“Yeah, be careful with it, dick,” Jeremy sneered.

Hazel rolled her eyes and decided to get a head start on dolling up for the party.

~

Hazel examined her reflection. She wore a yellow floral dress and a pink cardigan with tan lace-up wedges. She slipped on some jewelry and applied some makeup, pulling her hair into a ponytail before deeming herself almost ready. She thought for a few moments before slipping her vervain locket ring into one of the pockets of her dress. She needed to make sure the brothers didn’t become suspicious of why she was never without it. After all, they thought that she thought it was just a fashion accessory, not protection from compulsion.

Checking her watch, Hazel groaned. She should have waited longer before getting ready. She still had over an hour before it was time to leave.

There were the sudden noises of an altercation in Jeremy’s room. Hazel rolled her eyes. The stupid pocketwatch. Not wanting to be dragged into that whole debacle, she quietly slipped down the stairs and out the front door. She sent a quick text to Jenna to let her know that she was heading out.

As she walked, Hazel’s mind was blank. She was acutely aware of her surroundings, and yet, at the same time, blissfully oblivious. Here, she could sense the dream-like reality of the false world in her mind. Aside from some of its inhabitants and their secrets, Mystic Falls was a normal town, but the scenery seemed to be screaming for someone to notice the true mystery. The leaves were still too rich of a green for the end of September. The wind rustled as though whispering tales of old to those who were simply patient enough to listen. The flowers gave off a surprisingly strong aroma, begging for pedestrians to notice their wild beauty. The sun shone soft, golden rays that lit up the surroundings as if defining the mood of a theatrical work. These surreal qualities swirled through Hazel’s senses and mind, leaving her feeling strangely calm.

_How could a place this beautiful be the setting of such dark and evil stories?_

Hazel pulled the ring out of her pocket. She looked it over, fiddling with it, before carefully unclasping it and opening the compartment. Inside lay a small sprig of an unassuming herb. Hazel contemplated how that small clipping had kept her from kissing Damon, and how it had the power to protect her from all sorts of awful fates. She stared at it a little longer before gently closing the compartment once again and putting the ring away.

 _Who would have guessed that a small plant could do all that?_ Hazel thought. But then again, who would have guessed that Hazel could accomplish any of the things she would come to do?

~

Before she knew it, Hazel had wandered on over to the Lockwood Mansion. Guests were just starting to arrive, so Hazel went inside, sparing a brief moment to greet Mrs. Lockwood before the hostess returned to fussing over some negligible detail.

Hazel went to the restroom to fix her appearance, finding it mostly the same as when she left the house. She slumped in front of the mirror. Sure, the night had just begun, but she was already bored. Really, the only friends she currently had were the main, recurring characters. If she wanted to stay out of the supernatural drama, that wasn’t going to go down very well.

Hazel realized she had two better options. One: she could get some other friends, which, in all honesty, she might do anyway. Or, two: she could get involved with the craziness. As Hazel thought more and more about her boring dilemma, ideas began to take shape.

Hazel met up with Bonnie once she arrived, and the two had a great time spending the night together. Hazel felt like their flimsy acquaintanceship was strengthened into an actual friendship, which was a great feeling, but she also knew deep down that things were bound to change.

“Hey, Bonnie. I’m gonna take a break, walk around. Alright?” Hazel asked after a few hours had passed.

“Okay! I’m gonna stay here,” she replied.

Hazel nodded and began walking about. She accidentally made her way to the historical artifacts, just as Caroline dragged Stefan towards the dance floor. She watched them leave, then looked back into the room, where Damon was starting to tell Elena about the past.

“The Salvatore name was practically royalty in this town. Until the war. There was a battle here-”

“The Battle of Willow Creek,” Hazel butted in. Damon, startled, looked over at her along with Elena. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.. I mean, um… I’m just gonna…” she started to say, gesturing that she intended to leave.

“No, it’s alright. Damon was just telling me about his family’s past. Right, Damon?” Elena said.

“Yeah. That’s right. How did you know that?” Damon asked, referring to Hazel’s interjection.

“Oh, I uh- um, we talked about it in history. Confederate soldiers fired on a church with civilians inside. They thought they were union sympathizers, so they were like, hey, let’s round ‘em up and burn ‘em alive. Right?” Hazel tried to cover.

Damon seemed confused and intrigued. “Right,” he said slowly. “You talked about that in school?”

“Yup. I did a little research on my own afterwards, as well.”

“Yes, well. The original Stefan and Damon had someone they loved very much in that church. And when they went to rescue them, they were shot. Murdered in cold blood,” Damon finished the story, having recovered from his initial confusion.

“Who was in the church that they wanted to save?” Elena asked.

“A woman,” Hazel mumbled, but it had come out louder than she expected. Damon’s head snapped towards her, and Elena looked over as well. “What? Was I right?” Hazel feigned innocence.

“Yeah, it was a woman. Doesn’t it always come down to the love of a woman?” Damon said, forcing himself to turn his attention back to Elena.

Elena looked down awkwardly before looking back up at Damon. “Look, I’m sorry that you and Stefan have this thing between you, but I can’t get in the middle of it, Damon. I just… I hope you two can work it out.”

“I hope so too,” Damon said quietly as he watched Elena walk away. He then turned back to Hazel. “So, you’re into local history?”

“Well, now that I’m not cheering, I have considerably more free time. I started teaching myself some outside of school so that I can afford to zone out in class. Although, that was mostly for Mr. Tanner’s class, and now…” she trailed off, realizing that she was talking to the very reason that Mr. Tanner was no longer among the living.

“Ah, yes. Terrible, really. They’re saying it was an animal attack?”

“Yeah, pretty crazy, right? Some kind of horrible freak accident. I mean, a wild animal that large at a football stadium! That never happens.”

“Yeah,” Damon said. Hazel marveled at his acting abilities. She threw caution to the wind and pushed her luck.

“Do you think it was really an animal?”

Damon seemed to go just the slightest bit on edge. “What else could it have been?”

“I dunno… But then again, when you think about it, animal attacks are rare enough in the forested areas of Mystic Falls, and now so many are happening close to and inside of the town? It’s a little strange.”

“Yeah. A little,” Damon agreed. There were a few moments of awkward silence. Hazel worried that she might have taken it a bit too far.

“But anyways, enough about that. How are you and Caroline?” she asked.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, we’re good,” he replied vaguely.

“So everything’s okay. You’re not still annoyed by her talking habits?” Hazel prodded.

“I’ve grown to love her faults,” he replied cooly. Hazel rolled her eyes.

“Well, I’m glad you worked it out,” she said, trying not to sound too sarcastic. She began to walk away.

“You know, you’re different than your sister,” Damon stated. Hazel stopped and turned around.

“You’re different than your brother,” she offered in retort. Damon didn’t seem deterred by her logic.

“You seem a lot more…”

“Weird?”

“No.”

“Awkward?”

“No.”

“Sarcastic?”

“No. Well, I mean, yes, but that’s not what I’m thinking of.”

“Well, what?” Hazel asked.

“I dunno. I guess you just really seem to get things. You’re very… perceptive,” he said with a furrowed brow, thinking aloud.

“Oh,” Hazel said. She wasn’t sure how to respond. “Well, thanks, I guess,” she said awkwardly.

Damon simply nodded. It seemed that he wanted to say more, but he didn’t, so Hazel excused herself to find Bonnie again.

She found Bonnie the same time Elena did. Elena had gotten into a mess of boy problems once again, and Hazel really wasn’t in the mood, so she excused herself from their raid of the Lockwood’s ice cream and sat down in a remote corner. She was people-watching when a familiar blonde plopped down right in front of her.

“Hey there,” Matt said.

“Hi Matt,” Hazel said.

“So listen, I know that things were awkward, even before your sister and I broke up, but talking about when we were little kids got me thinking. I don’t want things to be weird between us. I want to be friends again, like the good old days. So… what do you think?”

Hazel smiled. “I’d like that. Thank you,” she said earnestly.

Matt smiled back. “Cool. So, as a start to our rekindled friendship, why are you sitting alone in a corner?”

“Well I came with Bonnie, but she’s talking with Elena about boy problems, and I was so not in the mood for that. Caroline’s with Damon, but we were never on the best of terms anyway. I don’t really have any other friends. Besides you now, of course.”

Matt nodded. “Yeah.”

“I can tell you want to know about Elena,” Hazel said, not unkindly.

Matt smiled sheepishly. “I don’t want you to think that’s why I’m being nice to you.”

Hazel laughed. “You’re being nice to me because we’re friends, doofus. And since we’re friends, I will have you know that Elena and Stefan seem to be having drama due to lack of communication.”

“Thanks. I just want her to be with a nice guy. She deserves that.”

“I know. You care about her. And that’s okay. Over time, things will get easier,” Hazel felt a twinge of guilt at the last statement, but she had to encourage him to get through it.

“You really think so?”

Hazel shifted uncomfortably. “Look, you and Elena tried to be something more. It didn’t work for her. She just wants to be friends. Over time, you’ll get over her, no matter how great you think she is, and you’ll get to the point where you guys can be friends again.”

“Thanks,” Matt said.

“No problem. I’m here if you need me, _friend_ ,” Hazel cheesily emphasized. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m worn out and ready to go home.”

Matt laughed. “Alright then. Bye, Hazel.”

“Bye, Matt,” she called over her shoulder, already walking away to search for Jenna.

Jenna agreed to take her home, and they spent the ride in pensive silence. While Jenna thought of Logan, Hazel mentally perfected her plans for how to proceed in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while. And, honestly, I don't have an excuse that will satisfy anyone who may be unhappy with the wait. I only put up this chapter after the motivation I felt from Jnhill666 asking about the next installment of Hazel's escapades, so a huge thank you to them! I'll be up front with you guys: I don't have an update schedule, and I can't promise that the waits will be short (as evidenced by this update). If that bothers you, I totally understand why you may decide to forget about this story. However, for anyone who decides to stick it through, I'll do my best to do this right. Thank you guys, and, as always, I'm open to suggestions!


	8. At the Car Wash (Yeah)

Hazel reluctantly rolled out of bed and got dressed, forcing herself to make herself look presentable. She was running a little late, so she poured some coffee into a travel mug before leaving for school.   
Elena had filled Hazel in on Caroline being abused by Damon and Jeremy’s sleepover with Vicki, to both of which her response was negative. Elena assured her that Stefan had taken care of Damon, which earned a neutral “Mmm”. She then proceeded to rant about Stefan’s secretiveness and lack of communication, which Hazel simply ignored, finding these problems tame compared to what was to come.

~

The highlight of the school day was Caroline sassing off about the upcoming car wash fundraiser.

“The sexy suds car wash is tomorrow. The football team and the band have committed. Well, not all the band. Just the ones who could pull off the bikini.” Hazel rolled her eyes. “I want in-your-face sexy. I mean, it’s a fundraiser, for goodness’ sake.”

“Nothing like naked teenagers to raise money,” Hazel muttered, standing amongst the crowd of people gathered in front of Caroline. She heard a quiet snicker and felt her face heat up slightly. Someone must have heard her.

The rest of the day was a sleep-deprived blur of boredom with no qualities redeeming enough to be recounted.

~

That afternoon, Hazel headed home while Elena met up with Stefan at the Grill. Well, except that she didn’t exactly meet up with him, more like waited over an hour for him to show up, had an awkward encounter with an old man after he showed up, and then left a few minutes after. 

Needless to say, Elena was upset when she arrived home, immediately storming up to her room to write in her diary. Hazel sighed when she heard the door slams, grieving the end of her reprieve from drama. She walked downstairs to wait for Stefan.

Sure enough, not even ten minutes later, a soft knock on the door signaled his arrival. Hazel opened the door and grabbed Stefan’s arm to pull him inside.

“I estimate we have about twenty-five minutes before Elena leaves her room of her own volition, which doesn’t leave much time for dilly-dallying,” she stated business-like, wasting no time on pleasantries. “Parmesan chicken is her favorite. I’ve taken the liberty to make sure our fridge and pantry are both fully equipped with the necessary ingredients. We can set up while we discuss the game plan.”

“Oh. Okay,” Stefan replied, surprised at her level of preparation. He followed her to the fridge to begin setting vegetables out.

“So here’s the plan. We’re going to set up an amazing ‘I’m sorry’ dinner. Though we’re getting the stuff out now, you’re going to actually cook it with Elena, during which you can spill some beans to prove that you’re actually invested in her and this thing you’ve got going on. After that, you’ll eat, make multiple comments on how good it turned out and how well you work together, and ka-bam. Best boyfriend award goes to… you, when you pull this off,” Hazel explained in detail.

Stefan blinked. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful, but why are you helping me?” he asked with furrowed brows. 

“Jeremy would’ve slipped you hints anyway, so I figured why not.” Hazel paused, getting serious for a moment. “Plus, I can tell that you do care about her. You’re a great guy, for the most part, and I want this relationship to have a chance. You just have to realize that trust and honesty are very important to Elena when it comes to people she cares about. If you can’t be honest with her, if she can’t trust you, you don’t deserve to be someone she cares about.”

“Thank you,” Stefan said sincerely.

Hazel smirked. “Don’t thank me now, thank me when my plan single-handedly repairs your relationship.”

~

Hazel sighed. Why did she agree to help with the car wash again? She stood with the group of people gathered in front of Caroline as she explained the rules.

“No friend discounts, no freebies, no pay-you-laters. We are not running a charity. No, we are not,” she finished instructing before sending everyone to their posts. 

“No, we are not,” Elena jokingly emphasized to Hazel, before greeting Stefan, who had just arrived. 

A passing Caroline quickly told the trio, “The event is called _sexy_ suds, you know.”

“Did we just get scolded?” Stefan questioned, bewildered.

“And judged, yeah,” Elena replied.

“Wow. Brutal,” Hazel commented, slipping off her shirt to leave her in a tankini top and shorts. She never liked bikinis, as she wasn’t comfortable with showing that much of her body. 

Elena laughed at her sister’s appearance. “I don’t think Caroline will find that much better,” she remarked.

“Hey!” Hazel crossed her arms defensively. “Modest is hottest,” she declared, walking away with her head held high. She could hear Elena and Stefan chuckling behind her.

Hazel got to work washing cars. She was acutely aware of Bonnie’s accidental magic incidents, Caroline’s abandonment of the scene to free Damon, and Elena’s second encounter with the old man. She knew a choice was coming soon: get involved, or steer clear. 

A while later, Stefan came up to Hazel and asked, “Hey, have you seen Elena?”

Hazel furrowed her brows and looked around, as if not realizing her sister’s absence. “Um, no, actually. That’s strange. Maybe she went home,” she supplied.

“Thanks anyway. I’ll ask Matt,” Stefan went to continue his search.

“As if he would know better than I would,” Hazel muttered. After finishing her current car, she approached Jenna. “Hey, can we go home? I don’t feel great.”

“Yeah, of course. Do you think you’re coming down with something?” Jenna asked, concerned.

“No, I think I’m just worn out. I’ve helped out long enough. Surely they can handle it from here,” Hazel answered.

“Well, to be fair, I think you were the only one actually focused on the cars,” Jenna said with a smile. Hazel laughed tiredly in response. 

The two gingers dramatically sang along with breakup songs the entire car ride, purely for the fun of it. When they arrived home, Hazel took a shower as planned, then sat down on her bed with her notebook and pencil. _What to write, what to write…_

She eventually decided to keep it simple and stick to the basics, things that could be explained as overheard or figured out. She compiled a good-sized list of facts to fall back on should the need arise, then returned the notebook to its previous hiding space. 

Hazel stretched and yawned, then snuggled into bed and fell into a (thankfully) dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well another chapter is out, so that's good. It kind of sucks, so that's bad. I'm not very happy with it. I'm sorry that it's short and has too much narration, but I don't want to waste both of our times by typing up what basically becomes a transcript of the episode. The good news is that chapter after next (I'm fairly sure) is where things start getting _fun_. Thanks for bearing with me, and comments and suggestions are - as always- tremendously appreciated! Thanks!


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